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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28651221">Storm Rising</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lateforclass/pseuds/Lateforclass'>Lateforclass</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The Marriage of Reluctant Gods [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Thor (Movies)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Arranged Marriage, Intersex Loki (Marvel), Jotunn Loki (Marvel), M/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 13:48:50</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>26,289</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28651221</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lateforclass/pseuds/Lateforclass</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Thor tries to get into Loki's good graces, Loki resists until he doesn't, everything comes crashing down on him in the end.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Loki/Thor (Marvel)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The Marriage of Reluctant Gods [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2089614</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>78</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>507</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Thor tossed and turned on his massive four poster bed, it was nearing winter in Asgard and most people shuttered their windows and covered themselves in fur for warmth to sleep but Thor had his windows thrown wide open to allow the cold draft to enter his bedchambers and he wore only a loose fitting sleep pants as he exposed his body to the elements hoping it would make him feel so hot and sticky all the time.</p><p>It had been a week since he’d taken Loki apart under him and the act had taken Thor’s sanity along with it.</p><p>Loki was constantly on his mind now, never before had he felt such utter obsession with another person in his life. His friends ribbed him constantly for it, his mother always looked at him with a knowing smile these days and the All-father too looked rather smug and satisfied. He hadn’t seen Loki after the ceremony, though he constantly longed to see him now.</p><p>Thor was himself completely thrown by the experience, he was behaving and feeling like a callow youth after he’d taken his first tumble into bed with a maiden, he hadn’t felt like this even when he was besotted with Amora what seemed a lifetime ago. He couldn’t go on like this, he had to see Loki. After a night of restless sleep, Thor woke up with a single thought in his mind, he was going to woo Loki such as he had never done before and if everything went according to his plan, he’d have Loki wrapped around his calloused and skillful fingers before their wedding was to happen.</p><p>Once he was adequately presentable, Thor went straight to Loki’s chambers, he raised his hands to knock and then stopped mid-way. He had no idea what he was going to say once Loki opened the door, in all the fifty years of Loki’s presence in Asgard, Thor had never sought him out in this manner. As they were betrothed, his mother made sure they ate their dinner together at least once in a week and endured each other’s presence, it also served as a firm reminder in their minds that they were going to be wed one day.</p><p>In the early days, it was usually Loki who approached Thor either in the training yards or on one of his adventures to other realms with his friends. Thor sheepishly remembered that he usually refused when Loki asked to accompany them citing one reason or the other. At that time all Thor had felt about being betrothed to Loki was a profound sense of unfairness and disappointment. He’d resented the fact that if ever he had to marry at all, he could not even choose the person he would marry. Thor remembered his recent conversation with his mother and wondered for the first time how Loki would have felt, all alone in a completely foreign realm.</p><p>Then the pranks started, the needling, Loki’s smug smile at their dinners, how Loki portrayed himself to be completely innocent to the All-mother and All-father. They’d both silently declared war on each other, one upping each other in some form or another as their games became more cruel and more hateful, their conversation coming in the form of shouting matches and hurling things at each other. The last ten years had been particularly brutal, Thor and Loki had inflicted many a bodily injury upon each other and it grew to become so bad that the All-father had to intervene and send Loki back to Jotunheim for an entire year.</p><p>Thor cleared his throat and steeled himself, there could be no denying it now, he was to marry Loki, there was no point in fretting over past mistakes. After all, it wasn’t Loki didn’t give back whatever dished out in kind.</p><p>He knocked three times and waited.</p><p>It took Loki five minutes to open the door and when he did Thor’s lips curved in a genuine smile, it seemed to him that someone was not a morning person. Loki’s hair was sticking out everywhere in a knot of tangles, he had a bit of drool on his chin and he was dressed in a loose white linen sleep shirt that made him look less peevish and more…endearing.</p><p>“Odinson” Loki groaned, none too happy to see Thor, “What the fuck do you want in this God-ridden hour of the morn?”</p><p>“Loki” Thor managed to swallow any insults that were on the tip of his tongue, “I thought we might break our fast together.”</p><p>“No, we may not” Loki promptly proceeded to try to shut the door but Thor’s reflexes were fast and he grabbed the door and held on.</p><p>“Loki, come on, don’t be so petty, we are to be wed, we should get to know each other.”</p><p>Loki eyed Thor incredulously, “Figures, the mighty Thor finally wants to spend time with his betrothed <em>after</em> he’d been forced to spread his legs for him.”</p><p>“It’s not…” Thor started but Loki’s glare silenced him.</p><p>“Save it Odinson, its writ so large upon your face a blind man could see it! And when is it going to get into your thick head that I do not wish to be in your presence let alone marry you.”</p><p>“You spiteful little creature! I’m trying to be good to you and every time you find some way to insult me. It’s not like I had any more choice in this matter than you. You should consider yourself lucky for managing to find someone of my rank and position, Jotunheim is all but a wasteland now and if my father were not such an honorable man he’d have rescinded this marriage alliance long ago.”</p><p>Loki smiled, his eyes glinting maliciously he said, “Brilliant, perhaps you should go pester him to do exactly that instead of pestering me to endure your company, good day Odinson, now be lost.”</p><p>This time when Loki closed the door, Thor moved out of the way and it banged loudly enough to make his ears pop for a second, Thor looked at the closed door darkly, his fists clenched and his teeth gnashed together in anger.</p><p>XXX</p><p>In his Aesir form, Loki shivered in Jotunheim’s cold wind, he’d dressed himself in the richest furs he could find in Asgard and yet he felt the cold to the bone. But that was the beauty of the ice realm, it was the kind of cold that made even Gods of Aesir feel like they were being prickled by a thousand sharp cold knives.</p><p>“You have grown soft Loki Laufeyson” Thrym laughed maliciously as he observed Loki from where he was seated on a make-shift throne in his keep in Utgard.</p><p>Loki scoffed, “And you have grown fat and repulsive, such is the way of life and change is it not Thrym?”</p><p>Thrym’s red eyes stared at Loki with barely concealed anger and Loki smiled, it was so easy to goad Thrym.</p><p>“What have you come here for Jotun broodmare? Have you grown dissatisfied with Odinsons prick? Do you want a taste of what real frost giants could do to runts like you?”</p><p>“Hardly, you’re disgusting. Now if you will cease your prattling, I have an offer to make to you.”</p><p>“What could a lowly runt like you offer me? I am Thrym of Utgard.”</p><p>“And you will be of Utgard for your entire miserable lifespan if you refuse my offer. You have long since wanted Laufey’s throne, I have come here with a proposition which could make you King of Jotunheim.”</p><p>Loki said no more and waited, he knew Thrym and his contempt for Laufey-King, him and his band of supporters had been installed in Utgard far away from the palace of Jotunheim by Laufey-King to prevent a civil war from breaking out in Jotunheim.</p><p>“Speak”</p><p>Loki smirked and began to talk.</p><p>XXX</p><p> </p><p>“Well, I did warn you not to neglect him all those years ago” Frigga said pointedly as Thor grumbled to her about the latest transgression done to him by Loki.</p><p>Thor huffed, “That lasted but a decade before he was at my throat all the time mother.”</p><p>“What I’m saying is, one does not forget fifty years of bad behavior in the space of a few weeks, you must be patient.”</p><p>“You speak as though the bad behavior was entirely on my part.”</p><p>“You desire him now?” Frigga’s question was mostly rhetorical but Thor’s face flushed anyways, it was unbearably awkward that everyone in all of Asgard knew Thor and Loki had been intimate with each other.</p><p>“It is good that you are finally trying to make amends, court him properly, be patient, do not let him goad you into saying and doing things out of spite. In time, I’m confident you will turn him around, you have the gift of my charm after all.”</p><p>Thor laughed at that and Frigga smiled back at him. “What would I do without you mother?”</p><p>“You’d be utterly lost.”</p><p>“That I would be, yes.” Thor stated genuinely.</p><p>XXX</p><p>It started with a full vase of Jotunheim sprinkleflowers which Loki promptly threw into the garbage barrels, then the gifts started to become more inventive, a diamond encrusted silver brooch from Alfheim, a pair of cufflinks made with gold and encrusted with nine precious gems, a dark green mink cloak that had been charmed to change color and make the wearer blend into his surroundings like a chameleon, Loki threw more of the gifts out than he kept. The cloak was after all a little useful.</p><p>Thor never came personally to deliver the gifts, he hadn’t seen the brute at all since the day he dismissed him outside his bedchambers. It was always a servant maid who delivered the gifts and Loki had no doubt those same maids were tittering to their hearts content about their Prince’s romantic nature.</p><p>He couldn’t stomach all the envious looks that came his way, some had even been bold enough to speak to him and tell him what a <em>lovely husband</em> he was going to have the privilege of marrying. These same people had not one ill word to say about Thor all the times he openly ill-treated Loki. Asgardians were disgusting.</p><p>At least Thor hadn’t resorted to reciting poetry too, if Thor believed Loki could be made to go to bed with him by plying him with gifts he was going to be sorely disappointed.</p><p>Then one day as he was walking towards the library he found himself being caught in a tight grip as he levitated off the floor. Thor was flying with his precious hammer raised above his head and Loki clung close to him, he put his hands around Thor’s neck, not caring at how they would appear to anyone who might be watching.</p><p>“Thor! You goat brained brute! What the hell are you doing?”</p><p>Thor laughed and Loki felt the rumble in his bones clutched together as they were now, “I thought it would be obvious, I’m flying.”</p><p>“So help me Thor, if you drop me I will gouge your eyes out with my bare hands.”</p><p>“My my, you do speak the most enticing words my dear.”</p><p>Once he was slightly over the fear of being dropped on his head, Loki looked around as Asgard’s entirety blurred past his vision, it truly was something of a sight to see from up above, he gasped and Thor smiled at him understanding his awe.</p><p>Finally, they reached the end of the Bifrost bridge where the golden domed observatory stood, Thor landed slowly putting his hands around Loki to steady him before he could stumble and fall on his face.</p><p>Loki immediately disentangled himself from Thor and looked at him with a raised brow.</p><p>Thor chuckled again, “We are going to Vanaheim.”</p><p>Loki scoffed, “We are not.”</p><p>“Look, I know we’ve hardly had an ideal relationship in the past but we are to marry and I…I don’t want us to hate each other Loki. I don’t want to be locked in an endless fight where neither of us wins and neither of us are happy.”</p><p>Thor’s imploring tone was a far cry from the way he’d confidently declared they’d be going to Vanaheim. Loki was genuinely thrown by this change of tack, usually Thor reasoned by hitting with his hammer first and damning the consequences for other people to deal with.</p><p>When Loki remained unmoved, Thor grabbed Loki’s hands in his and said “Please Loki” and kissed his knuckles. His lips lingered on Loki’s skin for enough time for Loki to feel a pleasant tingle before Thor dropped his hand. It was only his years of cultivating his facial expressions both in the court of Jotunheim and Asgard that saved Loki from exhibiting his stunned surprise at the word. He was pretty sure that before today, Thor had never had any use for the word ‘please’, such was his shock that he found himself intrigued.  </p><p>“Well lets away with whatever silly spectacle you have in mind then” Loki said as he walked towards the observatory, Heimdall was watching them both interact and it wouldn’t bode well for him to reject Thor outright now when he was not being an utter arsehole.</p><p>In all his millennia of existence, Loki had been to Vanaheim only a handful of times. Being the principal residence for the Gods of Fertility, the realm was lush with thick vegetation that spread out for miles and miles with no city in sight. They had landed on what appeared to be an old and derelict temple, long abandoned and in danger of crumbling if a strong wind happened by it.</p><p>Loki crossed his arms in front of him and gave Thor an unimpressed stare, “Really Odinson….this is what you plucked me out my perfectly normal day for?”</p><p>Thor smirked, “Don’t judge a book by its cover Loki, this is the temple of Nerthus and was the source of his power when the Vanir Gods ruled over this realm a long time ago.”</p><p>“Yes thanks for that riveting history lecture, it’s not as though I’m the one inclined to scholarly pursuits among the two of us, they ruled, as in past tense, this is nothing but an old and useless relic now.”</p><p>Thor put his hand on the small of his back and walked forward, Loki dislodged himself and walked ahead of Thor. The temple was dark inside, not a single window to let in light or illuminate the way, Loki really didn’t understand what the point of all this was.</p><p>Suddenly a chilly draft of air blew into the room and Loki felt himself shiver as he sensed powerful seidr at work.</p><p>“Ah, you have reached the barrier, do you feel it?”</p><p>“I do, whoever is working it must be very powerful indeed.”</p><p>“Mhmm…” Thor looked at him with a grin that made him look boyish and young, the next second he turned and spoke “Gaigor, let us pass, it is I, Thor, Son of Odin.”</p><p>“You know the person working this magic?”</p><p>Loki was thoroughly disconcerted, he thought Vanaheim was populated by a primitive race of bipedal beings who lacked sentience. That is what all the scrolls said, to see that this realm could be hiding so powerful a sorcerer was something he hadn’t expected, let alone that Thor seemed to know mages he himself didn’t.</p><p>“Thor!”</p><p>The barrier dropped and Loki couldn’t stop his sharp gasp this time, before them was a being that looked both ancient and hideous, before today, Loki had only ever seen one of these beings in fictional depictions, to see one so alive and real was utterly disturbing. Did the moronic Odinson even know what this being was?</p><p>Loki opened all the barriers he’d placed upon his well of seidr, he didn’t know if even that would be enough to defeat this creature should it come down to a fight between them. He only hoped Thor’s mighty Mjolnir was mighty enough to smite this creature.</p><p>“Thor, you really have only sponge between those ears you moron, do you even realize what this creature is?” Loki hissed, this whole body breaking out in cold sweat.</p><p>The shadow berserker possessed rock-like dark black skin, two long horns projected from its head, red glowing eyes stared sinisterly, hands and feet with claws that looked sharp enough to cut through uru made Loki want to curse Thor with all the expletives known to him as he tried to get a handle on his fear.</p><p>“There is no need to be afraid of me puny sorcerer, Thor is a dear friend.”</p><p>“Gaigor! How have you been? It really has been too long” Thor boomed and offered his hands which the berserker took in an almost friendly grasp taking care not to hurt Thor with its claws. Loki was once again shocked, this day was turning out to be full of surprises it would seem, berserkers were called berserkers because they were berserk. To see one talking to Thor like it was a long lost pet kraken that had missed its masters company was extremely mind-boggling.</p><p>“I have been lonely, this realms inhabitants fear me and I know not for how long I must remain here and rot until my master comes searching for me.”</p><p>“Do not worry so Gaigor, there is always a place in Asgard for you. Though, it is astounding that Gorr has not found you yet.”</p><p>“Gorr is real?” Loki asked sounding like a simpleton and hating himself for it. The God Butcher was a famous legendary figure among the nine realms but Loki had thought he was purely fictional.</p><p>“Of course, he couldn’t conquer Gaigor’s soul even though he transformed Gaigor’s body to that of a shadow berserker.”</p><p>“He did conquer my soul Thor, it was you that helped me see the light my friend.”</p><p>“Hush Gaigor, I would have never been able to break through had you not possessed the purest of souls in the nine realms.”</p><p>Then as though just remembering that he’d brought Loki with him, Thor turned around and pulled Loki to stand beside him. Loki, being paralyzed with fear no matter than Thor was talking to the berserker went, his entire body felt like a limp rag doll as he tried valiantly to prevent himself from vomiting or fainting, his heart almost beat itself out of his chest.</p><p>“This is Loki, my betrothed, he is a Jotun and we have been betrothed to each other from birth. Loki, meet Gaigor, the shadow berserker that found his soul, the only shadow berserker in Gorr’s army who was able to do so.”</p><p>Gaigor tilted his head, his red eyes which were basically large menacing red glowing embers on his face seemed to look straight through Loki’s soul.</p><p>“He will cause you much trouble and heart ache Thor, in the end though he will love you enough to do what he must.”</p><p>Loki found himself feeling uneasy again, he wasn’t ever a fan of seers or fortune tellers but something about this beings voice and presence made him believe it. Though, he would never love Thor in a million years, he would have said so too if he was trying not to choking on his fear.</p><p>Thor snorted “He already is the most troublesome person I know of.”</p><p>“Mates are meant to give you trouble. It spices things up.”</p><p>Could his day get any more absurd? Was a berserker giving advice on their love life? Truth it seems was always stranger than fiction.</p><p>“This is not just a social call Gaigor. I’m looking for a gift worthy enough to be given to my bride and I want the book.”</p><p>The berserker turned to look at Thor now as Loki subtly tried to inch further away from it, Thor’s grip was firm though and Loki wanted to moan and hit Thor on his head.</p><p>“I am indebted greatly indeed to you Thor, son of Odin, I only ask that you see to it that the book is not misused by your bride. In the wrong hands, it could devastate worlds.”</p><p>“Loki is to be my wife Gaigor, don’t worry, the book will be in safe hands. Once Loki has learned its secrets, I will return the book to you.”</p><p>“What book?” Loki asked speaking up for the first time.</p><p>“This book” Gaigor said and a tome that was as lengthy as Loki’s arm hung suspended in front of the shadow berserker now.</p><p>Loki’s hand came up to cover his mouth and he couldn’t hide the astonishment he felt, he looked at Thor wide eyed and Thor smiled tilting his head for him to take the book.</p><p>‘<em>The Grimoire of Kil'jaeden’ </em></p><p>Loki plucked it reverentially from the air, sucking in a sharp breath, never in all his life could he have believed Thor to be capable to giving him such a rare and priceless gift. He could kiss Thor now, for all his reservations in the past Thor truly had outdone himself with this gift.</p><p>“Well then beloved, I am pleased that I have finally done something right by you” Thor said looking bashful.</p><p>Loki smiled wide and uninhibited and it was Thor’s turn to feel shocked as Loki had never before looked at him like that.</p><p>“We must be away now Gaigor, thank you for lending the book to me, I know how much its safety means to you.”</p><p>When they were back in Asgard, they both felt out of sorts, Loki still in shock that Thor had given him a gift that he actually wanted and Thor unused to Loki not insulting him for once.</p><p>Thor finally decided to take action, he spread his arms out and asked “Do you want to fly back to the castle together?” He waited feeling vulnerable as he anticipated Loki’s sharp refusal and an insolent comment as was usual between them.</p><p>To his surprise, Loki nodded and walked forward to envelop Thor in a tight embrace as Thor let Mjolnir take them up and up, for once he had done something that made him realize Loki was not so hard to please after all, if he really tried.</p><p>XXX</p><p>In the coming weeks, Thor behaved in a manner that was entirely alien to Loki. He wondered whether someone had spirited away the arrogant prince of Asgard and if he was now speaking to a doppelganger that actually knew to be courteous and dare he say it… possessed a measure of intelligence. Loki even cast a spell to reveal whether this was some other person wearing Thor’s body like a skin suit.</p><p>Perhaps this was all still a ploy to get in between his legs but Loki was hard pressed to believe it, Thor could have anyone in the nine realms, he did not need to come to Loki for sex. Despite being betrothed to Loki, Thor had taken many lovers over the years, his exploits with maidens were the stuff of legends and even though he was a lot more discreet about his dalliances now, Loki knew Thor hadn’t stopped taking lovers once Loki had come to Asgard.</p><p>Loki found this to be a relief as he certainly had no intention of sharing Thor’s bed, he was free to bed whomever he wanted so long as he left Loki free to pursue his own agenda. Still, Loki knew how single minded men like Thor could be when a person took their fancy. Alas, once their ardor cooled such men usually moved on to the next exotic pursuit, no matter whose hearts they crushed, any who were stupid enough to fall for such men had a cold and rude awakening in sight. Loki was fortunately shrewder than your average bar maid or high born lady with unrealistic notions about love.</p><p>He kept Thor at arms-length while still allowing him to think he was winning, he could tell his baiting was frustrating Thor to no end and he enjoyed causing the prince some agony thoroughly. After all this time of being ignored, belittled and disrespected, did Thor really expect him to bend over backwards for him because he’d gotten him a number of useless trinkets? The book was the only valuable thing among Thor’s gifts and it was the only thing that managed to make him look at Thor in a new light. Thor was not actually as brainless as he’d always thought him to be.</p><p>“Checkmate again Loki, I told you, you must always protect the Queen” Thor stated, his lips pulled into a smug smirk that made Loki want to pour his glass of wine onto Thor’s face.</p><p>They were playing a Midgardian game called chess, apparently it was one of the few Midgardian inventions that was truly wondrous as it tested the wills and intellect of two opponents thoroughly by making them plot and strategize, the white and black checkered wooden board itself seemed like a battlefield, two generals warring not with hands but with minds. Which is why, Loki was sorely annoyed at Thor having beaten him in the game almost five times this night. Granted, Loki was a novice to this game but still how could his oafish betrothed possibly be better at a game that required intellect to win?</p><p>Thor grabbed Loki’s hands and kissed the back of his knuckles, “Don’t fret so, I’m sure in a few days’ time you would master this game enough that I could never beat you again.”</p><p>“Flattery is not going to get you what you want with me Odinson” Loki spat the name vehemently, as hard as he tried not to be affected by Thor’s personality reversal, it often left him feeling confused and unbalanced in a way that he did not like.</p><p>“And what is it that you think I want Loki?” Thor asked, one eyebrow raised as he looked at Loki, as though he couldn’t dream of having ulterior motives.</p><p>“Subterfuge is not your strong suit, you want me to let you fuck me” Loki stated, plain and simple. He expected Thor to crow in indignity but Thor’s response was matter of fact when he answered.</p><p>“Of course I do, I’ve already admitted to wanting to fuck you, there’s no subterfuge here at all” Thor indicated to the space between both of them, “I could not bother with all this at all and I’d still get to fuck you because we are getting married Loki.”</p><p>“Ah! There’s the sense of entitlement we all know and love, Thor Odinson, the mightily spoilt prince of Asgard”</p><p>Loki was once again disappointed when Thor didn’t get angry and fight him as he always did in the past with the slightest needling from Loki.</p><p>“It’s not entitlement, I am stating a fact. We are betrothed, we will be married soon and we will have sex with each other as married couples are expected to.”</p><p>Loki knew that any argument on his part would sound petulant when Thor looked absolutely unruffled and calm, his eyes alight with amusement as he looked at Loki.</p><p>“What if I ran away from Asgard? What if I kill you on our wedding night? What if I convinced Laufey to go to war rather than go through with our marriage?”</p><p>“All this because you’re unwilling to sleep with me? I think you are protesting too much for protestations sake, I think you’re afraid you might actually end up liking it, liking me.”</p><p>Loki rolled his eyes, “Please Odinson, I’ve lain with your Aesir lot before you know, none of them were what I’d call spectacular lays.”</p><p>Thor’s eyes narrowed, his fists clenched, and Loki smiled, finally he’d gotten to Thor today. “What? Are you really that surprised? Did you really think I was going celibate while you were bedding half the women in Asgard and then some?”</p><p>“I was only bedding them because you were a prickly, nagging and totally scruple less being who seemed more interested in finding ways to kill me, maim me or play me for a joke than seeing me as a betrothed whom you wanted to be with.”</p><p>“Oh, so I am the one at fault now, obviously because you were such a charming, courteous and chivalrous Prince to me even <em>before</em> you got to see me naked, and who could blame you?”</p><p>Loki was completely prepared for a huge fight that ended with his fist in Thor’s immaculate nose, usually their rows escalated in a matter of minutes and Loki was thinking up on some particularly nasty spells he could use when Thor once again surprised him.</p><p>“Peace Loki, I do not wish to fight you. Let us not judge each other for the past, you have laid with others, so have I, I do not begrudge you your youthful dalliances as long as you do not begrudge me mine.”</p><p>Loki huffed, “What has happened to you? Why are you suddenly so…”</p><p>“Understanding? Kind? Magnanimous? Charming?” Thor reiterated, enjoying the chagrined expression on Loki’s face, “I’ve always been all these things Loki, maybe not to you but you will find that I am beloved in the sight of most Asgardians.”</p><p>Thor smiled showing all his shiny white teeth and for a moment Loki could not help but think, <em>God he is so beautiful. </em>Thor’s caught him staring and his eyes darkened with desire as he got up from his seat, he walked forward and put both his enormous hands on the armrest effectively trapping Loki in as he leaned forward and kissed Loki on his lips. Loki remained unmoving for a minute before he put his palms in Thor’s chest and pushed, Thor moved not an inch, instead he took the opportunity to bite Loki’s lips hard making Loki open his mouth, Thor’s tongue invaded his mouth, first with tentative strokes to his teeth, the roof of Loki’s mouth and his tongue and then his tongue grew bolder as he deepened the kiss, Loki closed his eyes, lost in the feeling of being utterly invaded by Thor’s presence, the thunder God was massive and immovable and Loki felt the enormous power coiled inside Thor’s body just waiting to call down the powers of the elements and smite any enemy where they stood, Thor was a heady concoction and his kiss when he finally stopped and released Loki made him breathless and wanting.</p><p>“Hold on to your prudish abstemiousness if you will Loki, I’ll whittle your resolve yet” Thor murmured close to his ears before he nipped his ear lobe gently, suddenly Thor moved away completely and bid him goodnight as he left Loki’s chambers, his steps assured and his whole body radiating smugness.</p><p>XXX</p><p>Two months. Not a long time in terms of God lifespans, merely the passing of a dust mote but still, Thor had set a new track record for <em>‘not making Loki want to turn him into a hideous frog’</em>. Loki almost didn’t want to kill him anymore, he was still more arrogant and spoilt than most but in the time they spent together Thor was astonishingly thoughtful and even romantic.</p><p>Loki had thought that his constant refusal to let Thor bed him would make Thor reveal his ugly personality once again and spurn Loki after a fashion. But here Thor remained, still doting, still charming, still being content with the little touches and occasional passionate kisses that Loki allowed.</p><p>Today, there were lying on Loki’s bed, Loki had finally relented and allowed Thor some privileges this past month, he didn’t examine why he’d done it too closely, he couldn’t. It was all good that he kept Thor distracted so he didn’t know what Loki was actually planning. If everything went according to his plan then this would be the last night he’d spend with the brute’s enormous weight on top of him, stifling and scintillating all at once. Tomorrow, Thor would be crowned King of Asgard, or at least Thor thought he would be.</p><p>“You are thinking too loud Loki” Thor murmured as he laid little kisses on Loki’s neck, his hands freely roamed Loki’s body, he sucked at one of Loki’s nipples as his hands roamed lower coming to rest on the drawstring of Loki’s sleep trousers.</p><p>Loki groaned, there was a burning warmth between his legs and his cock was hard, his entire nether region pulsated with need as Thor’s overwhelming presence crowded his senses.</p><p>“Do it, fuck me” Loki said breathlessly, Thor stopped his ministrations to look into Loki’s emerald eyes which were blown out with desire.</p><p>“No, we have waited this long, what’s a few more days? It will make our wedding night all that sweeter” Thor said as he removed his hands and got off of Loki to lie down beside him.</p><p>Loki however climbed on top of Thor and straddled him, he rolled his hips experimentally and Thor let out a muffled groan as his hands came up to hold Loki’s hips in a tight grip.</p><p>“You will be the death of me Loki” Thor said and the next moment Loki was unceremoniously deposited on the bed, Thor rolled off the bed and fixed his shirt which had ridden down his chest before he turned to look at Loki with that brilliant smile of his that always made Loki feel like a star was exploding right in front of him.</p><p>Loki pouted, “Come on, you’ve wanted me for months”</p><p>“Aye, that I have my contrary little trickster, and for once you shall be forced to wait” Thor said this gleefully, he rummaged in his pant pockets before he pulled out a carved wooden box. “And I have my final courting gift for you, here” he handed it to Loki who grabbed it along with Thor’s hand and pulled Thor back into bed with him.</p><p>Loki opened the box, curious despite himself, it was a dagger, the blade was perfectly symmetrical and made of uru, the rarest metal in all the cosmos, its handle was golden and encrusted with gemstones in a patterned runic shape, Loki recognized it as runes of the ancient fairy folk, carved to perfection on the handle that he had no doubt the weapon was forged in Nidavellir, the runes were there to make sure the dagger always flew true and hit its mark, no matter the throwers expertise. It truly was a one in a kind weapon and Loki felt himself feeling suddenly tearful as he looked at Thor, his belly knotted with unpleasant tightness as he thought of how he was planning to repay Thor’s kindness and care these past few months.</p><p>“I can’t take this Thor…it’s too valuable” he tried to push the dagger into Thor’s hands feeling a tear fall unbidden from his eyes, he did not deserve this, he who was planning to ruin Thor’s coronation, he who even now felt contempt for being tied down to Thor. As much as he tried to remind himself of all the times Thor had ill-treated him he couldn’t stop feeling like he was a particularly dirty and devious being that was wholly undeserving of such devotion from the God of Thunder. Guilt and sorrow threatened to swallow him whole as he tried and failed to stop his tears from falling.</p><p>“I don’t deserve all this…stop…stop making it so hard!”</p><p>“Shh…Shh Loki” Thor murmured, running his hands up and down Loki’s side as he tried to calm his Jotun bride, he’d never seen Loki in such a vulnerable state, not even during their forced fertility rites ceremony had he seen Loki look so scared and pained. How had he been so blind to not notice there was such softness in Loki? Such emotion?</p><p>“You deserve this and a thousand things more and I will shower you with gifts as rare from beyond the nine realms as you are my Loki, my wife, my Queen.”</p><p>Loki could do nothing but hold on to Thor tightly, how could he have been so stupid? How could he have fallen for this witless magnificent brute? He had to stop Thrym, he had to.</p><p>XXX</p><p>Loki’s head pounded, his blood boiled in his veins and he heard a drumming in his ears as he saw Thor resplendent in his battle armor walking towards Odin in the throne room, the whole of Asgard erupted into frenzied cheers for the Prince, Thor egged them on and the crowd cheered louder than ever, Loki tried to remind himself that this was the reason, he was only trying to prevent this arrogant, entitled and thoughtless Prince from taking the throne of Asgard, but the weight of his dagger hanging securely in his holster reminded him of another Thor, one who he wouldn’t have minded being stuck with, one he was going to lose forever even before he’d ever had him.</p><p>Loki repeated in his head, <em>‘This is what I want, this is what I want, this is what I’ve always wanted, my freedom.’</em></p><p>“Thor Odinson, my heir, my first-born.”</p><p>
  <em>‘My freedom from Asgard’</em>
</p><p>“So long entrusted with this mighty hammer, Mjolnir. Forged in the heart of a dying star”</p><p>
  <em>‘My freedom from Jotunheim’ </em>
</p><p>“Its power has no equal -- as a weapon, to destroy, or as a tool, to build.”</p><p>
  <em>‘Freedom from Jotunheims contempt, freedom from being raised and used as nothing more than a bargaining chip’</em>
</p><p>“It is a fit companion for a King.”</p><p>
  <em>‘Freedom from the Aesir’s scorn who saw him as nothing more than a Jotun monster, freedom from life in a gilded cage’</em>
</p><p>“Then on this day, I, Odin Allfather, proclaim you—“</p><p>Odin stopped, Thor narrowed his eyes in consternation, Loki closed his eyes, he could feel that the teleportation spell he’d provided Thrym’s goons with had worked.</p><p>“Frost Giants” Odin’s whisper was heard throughout the throne room as was the sound of Gungir as he slammed it to the ground. "Quickly Thor, the frost giants are attempting to steal the casket."</p><p>"How did they get into Asgard? How did Heimdall.." Thor stopped as a sickening realization dawned on him, <em>'I will make sure you never become King', </em>he turned to Loki and found him looking ashen, he didn't need any other confirmation as his stomach dropped and his chest ached like a knife had been stuck straight through it. </p><p>"This is not the time, come with me, now!" Odin commanded. </p><p>Odin and Thor hurried from the throne room as Loki stood rooted to his spot on the dais. He was shaking, Frigga looked at him as understanding dawned in her eyes. She shook her head in disapproval and Loki let out a pained sound, the All-mother had never deigned to look at him like that in all the time he had known her.</p><p>The warriors three glared at him with open hatred, Sif in particular was being held back by Hogun as she screamed, “What have you done you snake? After everything Thor has done for you! How could you break his heart so?”</p><p>Her screech set everyone in motion, the mob’s sounds of outrage grew in deafening volume as they all found their target to blame. Loki gulped as he looked at the noble men, the soldiers, the common folk, all with equally blood thirsty eyes that vied for Loki’s demise.</p><p>Loki took a step back and the crowd went berserk.</p><p>
  <em>‘Death to the Jotun”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>‘Death to the Jotun’</em>
</p><p>
  <em>‘Death to the Jotun’</em>
</p><p>They chanted in unison as the warriors rapped their staffs on the ground in time with the chanting.</p><p>The throne’s rooms doors burst open and Thor stood at the end, his eyes focused on Loki, his whole body alight with power, his eyes twin pools of lightning that promised Loki the most torturous and horrifying end.</p><p>“You little snake! How you have deceived me! Are you happy now?” Thor roared, everyone fell silent, afraid of the terrifying sight of the young Prince in a rage as they’d never seen before, not even on the battlefield had Thor looked as out of control as he did now.</p><p>“Did you feel entertained when I showered you with all those gifts and favors? Did you laugh behind my back at having made me into your dancing monkey Loki? Did you rejoice as you planned this humiliation for me? Answer me!”</p><p>Lightning crackled and bolts of pure energy hit the ceiling as the people in the throne room finally ran for their lives, knowing their Prince was precariously close to smiting them all in a fit of uncontrolled rage.</p><p>“Thor, my son, please stop, please” Frigga implored from her place in the dais, putting herself between Loki and Thor, she knew Thor was absolutely livid and beyond reasoning.</p><p>Thor gritted his teeth as he seethed, Loki’s eyes were glassy as the full realization of what he’d done today hit him, Thor would truly hate him now, he’d be cast out of Asgard and Jotunheim and that was if Thor didn’t kill him in the next few minutes. Right now, the only thing holding him back was Frigga.</p><p>He found himself transfixed and utterly unable to move as Thor walked forward, not heeding Frigga’s pleading for him to stop.</p><p>“WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS?”</p><p>Odin’s voice resonated in everyone’s bones as he walked into the throne room, Gungir held at his side.</p><p>“Thor, explain yourself, now!”</p><p>“What is there to explain? This Jotun beast willfully led Jotuns into Asgard’s vaults to steal the Casket to ruin my coronation. He will pay for this crime with his life.”</p><p>“Where is the evidence that Loki led the frost giants here? Do you have proof?”</p><p>“Look at him Father! He’s guilty! And just like the weasel that he is, he cowers behind the All-mother’s skirts!”</p><p>“Or he is frightened and dismayed to find that his betrothed, his King who is supposed to protect him from all harm is so ready to kill him without proof of his guilt.”</p><p>“Who else could have led them here past Heimdall’s sight? This is an act of war! Once I have removed this treacherous monsters head from its shoulders, I will lay waste to all of Jotunheim and rid the universe of their disgusting race once and for all!”</p><p>“Genocide, is that truly what you think the price must be for a handful of Jotuns trying and failing to steal what really belongs to them? Are you really so hard? To even contemplate such cruelty?”</p><p>“Old man, it is not I that brought this upon them, it is that spiteful and conniving snake that you planned to let slither into my sheets that brought this upon Jotunheim, it is you who forced me to accept a spouse who is little more than a monster, it is Laufey King who aided this monster in invading Asgard that brought this upon the Jotuns. As King of Asgard, I declare that Loki of Jotunheim has committed high treason against Asgard, his life is forfeit and his realm will burn.”</p><p>“You forget your place Thor Odinson, you are not King, not yet” the All-father’s face was gaunt and drawn but his eyes showed resolve as he stared down at Thor.</p><p>“Now remove yourself from my presence before I forcibly do so myself” Odin’s voice left no room for argument, Thor’s body still crackled with immense power and energy.</p><p>“This is not over Jotun” Thor looked straight at Loki who had stopped trying to prevent the tears from flowing freely now, each and every one of Thor’s words were sharp lances to his heart, piercing him and making him bleed beyond any mortal wound ever could, he had never felt such profound agony in his life as he did now as he watched Thor turn and leave the throne room.</p><p>“You are right Loki, I was a fool to think Thor was ready to be King” Odin admitted somberly.</p><p>Loki shook his head, “No All-father, I am the one who is guilty, if you should punish someone at all, it should be me, not Thor.”</p><p>“He’s still trying to play us all! Trying to act as though he feels remorse! You really are a vile monster Loki!”</p><p>It was Sif who spoke and Odin bristled, “Know your place Lady Sif, you are addressing the royal consort to Prince Thor and unless you want to be flogged for insubordination you will show him the respect due his station.”</p><p>“Come my Queen, consort Loki, we have much to discuss after today’s events.”</p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>A short chapter this time. Happy reading! Thank you for leaving your comments and kudos on my work, they are very encouraging and give me motivation to keep writing and sharing my work here.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Thor felt the deep chill in his bones as he landed on Jotunheim, Sif, Fandral, Volstagg and Hogun following him shortly. He looked around the desolate landscape, his breath misting in front of him as the spires of a forgotten fortress crumbled in the distance. The war with Asgard had left Jotunheim utterly and completely defeated, this was evident by the way the land appeared almost diseased as he surveyed it.</p>
<p>“We shouldn’t be here” Hogun said solemnly.</p>
<p>“Let’s move” Thor replied and walked forward determinedly. One week, one week he had waited for his father to act like the King that Asgard deserved, like the ruler of the nine realms, one week he had been coached and coaxed by his mother and Odin while they let Loki live, in the palace no less, while they discussed and debated about what to do, never once did they address the humiliation and misery he felt at having betrayed by Loki in such a heinous manner.</p>
<p>
  <em>‘Find it in your heart to forgive him my son, I am sure Loki regrets what he did, if you would just talk to each other…’</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>‘Loki told me he could prove you unfit to rule and he has, there is nothing wrong in admitting one’s lack of mettle, what is wrong is having the hubris to think oneself can do no wrong and has no more room to learn.’</em>
</p>
<p>He would not be patient and wait like a lap dog to the All-father any longer, no, he was Thor, the rightful King of Asgard and whoever made himself an enemy to him would feel his wrath.</p>
<p>“Where is everyone?” Sif asked as they all looked about themselves, caution in their every step.</p>
<p>“Hiding, as cowards always do” Thor gritted his teeth as he thought about Loki, he was always a big weasel, a snake that slithered on its belly and silently poisoned everything around it. How could he have gotten so enamored with the idea of bedding such a creature that he’d failed to see Loki for what he was? Thor had been stupid enough to give him the memoir of one of the greatest sorcerers of the ages. Idly he wondered how much more he had enabled Loki and his fury climbed as he came to where Laufey was seated on his throne with a handful of Jotuns keeping him company.</p>
<p>Thor looked up and glared at the frost giant king willing him to speak.</p>
<p>“Son-in-law, do you come with good tidings?”</p>
<p>“I am not your son-in-law and you know damn well why I am here today Laufey!”</p>
<p>Laufey’s eyes narrowed in anger at Thor’s blatant disrespect and the Jotuns below the king growled at Thor and his friends menacingly.</p>
<p>“You sent Loki to Asgard to destroy us! You orchestrated this scheme, you and your pathetic weasel of a son! Admit it!”</p>
<p>Laufey leaned back in his throne and spat, “I’ve had enough insolence from you today boy, I know not of any scheme. You must be a fool indeed to think a worthless runt has any sway in my actions.”</p>
<p>Thor frowned, he’d fully expected Laufey to be colluding with Loki, how else could Loki have gotten those frost giants to follow him to Asgard? No, he was sure of it, this was probably Laufey prevaricating to protect himself and Loki.</p>
<p>His conviction renewed, Thor shouted “Your lies do not deceive me Laufey, you and Loki planned this together, your son led frost giants into Asgard to steal the casket! You are behind this!”</p>
<p>The Jotuns inexplicably began laughing at Thor, one giant paused in his cackling to tell, “This Prince must be soft as a snow elk indeed to let a useless runt get the best of him.”</p>
<p>“Enough!” Thor screamed as he held Mjolnir aloft and called down the lightening that coursed through his veins and into the frosted ground below, with his power simmering under his skin, Thor looked for all the world the raging and powerful God of Thunder as the Jotuns finally stopped laughing at him and looked fearful of him.</p>
<p>“Boy, your parlor tricks may be of some use to you in Asgard but not here in Jotunheim. If my runt has become too difficult for you to discipline it shows your incompetence, he is a broodmare, he is to be bread like one” Laufey’s tone was cold and devoid of all emotion as he spoke giving Thor pause for the first time since he’d decided to defy the All-father’s wishes and come to this Norns forsaken realm to exact his vengeance.</p>
<p>“The All-father’s rosy view of courting and marriage are foreign to Jotunheim, if the runt was here he would have been kept leashed in the birthing kennels as a broodmare for Jotunheims finest warriors, he would have birthed a litter of Jotuns by now and would have no time or inclination for scheming, if he got out of control my warriors would have disciplined him promptly.”</p>
<p>Thor had a very good idea of what disciplining meant to Jotuns and despite himself he felt bile rising in his throat as he pictured Loki in such a state.</p>
<p>“He is your son!”</p>
<p>“He is a runt, a deformity, a shame upon my house and my battle mate Farbauti. If it wasn’t for Odin’s insistence on this alliance, he would have been sacrificed to the Norns at birth.”</p>
<p>Thor was truly doubting whether Laufey aided Loki in his plans to ruin Thor’s coronation now, he could see in Laufey’s countenance that he held no love for Loki and saw him as a lesser being that even the Asgardians did, than even he did. Who else could have assisted Loki if not for Laufey?</p>
<p>“Who else could have aided him in invading Asgard if not for you?”</p>
<p>“I am a King, not an inquisitor, go now while I still allow it, you know not what your thirst for war will bring but I do.”</p>
<p>Hogun laid a hand on Thor’s shoulder as Thor seethed at Laufey, he loathed having to return back to Asgard without slaking his bloodlust for these monsters, they had effectively ruined his life by forcing him to marry one of their kind.</p>
<p>“Thor, we are surrounded, I would advise you that we leave now my friend” Fandral whispered silently, Thor had noticed the Jotun warriors who had assembled around Laufey long ago and he banked his temper for the sake of his loyal friends.</p>
<p>He turned and was just about to leave when everything went to hell.</p>
<p>“If your cock is not big enough to control the runt Princess you could send him to us, we could break him for you, train him to be a proper whore.”</p>
<p>“Damn” Fandral cursed as Thor released Mjolnir with a terrible smile, he would not be denied his vengeance today after all.</p>
<p>XXX</p>
<p>Loki paced back and forth inside his chambers, he felt sick, fear and anger warred in his mind as he wondered what to do now that his plan had succeeded beyond his wildest imaginations. He’d been kept more or less under house arrest in Asgard for the past one week, his magic was bound and his chambers were constantly under guard. Even all his magical relics had been taken from him, no matter how trivial. He cursed under his breath.</p>
<p>
  <em>‘I’ve been such a fool, a fool to fall for the enemy, a fool to think Odinson had a heart.’</em>
</p>
<p>In his muddled state of mind before Thor’s coronation, he had failed to devise a plan of escape for himself. It was entirely his fault that he was now stuck on Asgard with his heart in his throat every time someone knocked on his door. The weather had been inclement the whole week and he had no doubt Thor’s anger was only burning higher than ever.</p>
<p>How could he have been so utterly stupid? How could he have put himself at the mercy of these Aesir swine who saw him as nothing more than a savage monster to be killed at the slightest provocation? How could he have fooled himself so thoroughly to believe that Odinson could be anything but a bigoted swine like the rest of Asgard.</p>
<p>Then for a whole day, the weather miraculously settled again, this did nothing to calm Loki however as he could see from his vantage point in his chambers that the entire palace was in a state of upheaval. A whole contingent of Asgard’s army was stationed strategically around the castle, the South, West and Eastern entrances were barred, a curfew was imposed and people who dallied outside were strictly and firmly escorted back to their homes, a hundred wagons entered the castle through the North entrance bearing sacks upon sacks of grains, barley, livestock and dried meat, the palace’s energy shield had been up for the whole day. Something was happening and Loki did not know what. He hated being locked up in this room like a prisoner of war with no means to escape and no access to his magic.</p>
<p>He saw the All-father in the court-yard dressed in thick furs, his golden ceremonial helmet on his head, Gungir at his side and sleipnir below him as he mounted the eight legged warhorse. He rode towards the bifrost bridge and in a few minutes Loki saw the tell-tale flashing of the bifrost transporting the All-father to another realm.</p>
<p>XXX</p>
<p>“Do you realize what you’ve done? What you’ve brought down upon this realm?” Odin shouted at his heir as he directed Heimdall to take Fandral to the healing chambers.</p>
<p>“I was protecting my home, I was teaching those monsters not to meddle with the might of Asgard.”</p>
<p>“You cannot even protect your friends, how can you hope to protect a Kingdom?” Odin snapped growing more and more angry at his foolish son who even now did not fully understand the consequences of his actions. Loki couldn’t have been more right to tell him Thor was not ready for Kingship.</p>
<p>“You’ve forgotten everything I taught you, about doing your duty to the realm, about guarding the peace in the nine realms, about a warrior’s patience.”</p>
<p>“My duty! You ordained that my duty was to marry a Jotun monster! You gave me no choice and you could care less about my happiness. And don’t lecture me about being patient, while you sit here and be patient, the nine realms laugh at us!”</p>
<p>“Don’t give me that put upon look boy, I know you desire the Jotun greatly and were it up to you you’d have been rutting into him a long time ago. It is true I took your choice away but if I had truly seen that you were unhappy with the match, I would not have forced you to go through with it.”</p>
<p>Thor’s cheeks turned ruddy at his father’s crude words, the fact that it was entirely true made it all the more embarrassing for him.</p>
<p>“I may have desired him once but I do not any longer, you cannot force me to marry him Father, I will not, he betrayed me, he brought our mortal enemies into Asgard, he humiliated me in front of all of Asgard.”</p>
<p>“You court war with Jotunheim, you disobeyed the express command of your King and now you want me to throw out the one thing that can guarantee peace in the nine realms? You are a vain, arrogant and selfish boy!”</p>
<p>“And you are an old man and a fool!”</p>
<p>Odin looked taken aback, his eyes were sorrowful as he saw that Thor had become what he always feared a true born heir of his would become, right then he knew he could not allow Thor to rule, not like this, “I was a fool…yes, to think you were ready” Odin’s voice betrayed his utter defeat, Thor could not know how much it pained him to do this to another child, to his only son and heir, to Frigga’s darling boy.</p>
<p>“Thor Odinson through your arrogance and stupidity, you have exposed these peaceful realms and innocent lives to the horror and desolation of war. You are unworthy of these realms” Odin walked forward and ripped Thor’s armor apart as he shouted at his only son, seeing Thor’s eyes fill with tears of anguish and fear he forced himself to look away, his resolve would crumble if he saw his son looking so heartbroken, “you are unworthy of your title, you are unworthy of the loved ones you have betrayed.”</p>
<p>“I now take from you your power”</p>
<p>Mjolnir was ripped from Thor’s hands as he stared at his father, utterly dumfounded and rooted to his spot as the bifrost crackled behind him.</p>
<p>“In the name of my father and his father before, I Odin All-father, cast you out!”</p>
<p>Thor screamed as Odin pointed Mjolnir at him and directed her power at him, he was thrown back into the bifrost, ripped off of Asgard like a festering wound, his powers draining from him as he travelled unwillingly through the bifrost unable to navigate it like he used to, he scrambled wildly and wondered whether the bifrost would kill him as he could feel his body becoming weaker and weaker until he finally hit upon something hard and fell to the hard ground, his vision darkening until he could feel himself drifting out of consciousness.</p>
<p>XXX</p>
<p>Even Loki, locked up in his chambers with no magic and no way out had come to know what had happened from the serving maids who took great pleasure in telling him their beloved Prince Thor had been banished from Asgard because of him.</p>
<p>Loki was shocked, if anything he had expected the All-father to cast him out after the stunt he had pulled. He wondered what Thor must have done to drive Odin to banish him from Asgard and he wondered what it meant for him now. Would he be sent back to Jotunheim in chains? Without his magic and unable to defend himself? It didn’t bear thinking about, he would be utterly helpless without his magic on Jotunheim and Laufey would make him pay for daring to rebel against him and throw their precious peace treaty in their faces.</p>
<p>Once again he cursed explosively at his immense stupidity, when he had initially hatched this plan he had all intentions of finding a portal to walk through the realms and escape to a realm far away from Jotunheim and Asgard where even Heimdall could not sense his presence.</p>
<p>Now because he had not put a lid on his emotions, he was trapped in Asgard with no way out.</p>
<p>He tried every day to break the biding spell which held him from accessing his seidr and so far all his attempts had failed.</p>
<p>There was a knock on his door before it was opened without his permission. A contingent of Einherjar stood at his door and the soldier who had opened the door stated, “The All-father wants to see you in his chambers now.”</p>
<p>Loki gulped, his chest felt heavy and he broke out into a cold sweat as he allowed himself to be led to Odin’s chambers, walking stiff and straight backed, trying to show that he was confident while he felt anything but.</p>
<p>He found the All-father sitting in his usual place beside the hearth, an empty arm chair beside him, he did not look up as Loki entered and dismissed the Einherjar with a wave of his hands.</p>
<p>Loki stood rooted to his spot inside Odin’s chambers wondering what the King’s plans for him were if he was cruel enough to banish his own son.</p>
<p>“Have a seat Loki Laufeyson, I wish to speak to you...at length”</p>
<p>Odin looked and sounded weary, Loki knew not to tempt his fate now and quickly sat beside the All-father.</p>
<p>For long moments, the All-father just stared vacantly into space as Loki tried not to fidget. He could see that banishing Thor was breaking the old man’s heart and he started wondering what Thor could have done to rouse the All-father’s wrath to that extent. He had been unsuccessful in prying the information from the serving maids who attended to him.</p>
<p>“Your actions have resulted in the loss of three of Asgard’s soldiers and three unwittingly stupid Jotuns, my security council and all of Asgard’s nobility wishes for me to execute you, your father has demanded that I send you back to Jotunheim to be disciplined by Jotun warriors, you started Thor down the path of attacking Jotunheim and putting us all at risk for war. What do you have to say for yourself? Choose your words wisely.”</p>
<p>Loki found it hard to meet Odin’s eyes, whatever sympathy the All-father may have had for him before seemed to have been completely erased. His one eye was cold and calculating as he trained them upon Loki now.</p>
<p>“All-father, I only wanted to show you and the rest of Asgard that Thor’s temperament is unsuitable for the responsibility of ruling the nine realms” Loki knew he had to admit to the truth to the All-father and hope that it would be enough, he dare not lie now under that penetrating gaze, “Yes, I had hoped to avoid marrying him but in recent months he…he changed my mind All-father, I thought perhaps that we could be happy together. I planned to ruin his coronation long before he and I…I couldn’t stop what I had set in motion, I tried walking between the realms to stop Thrym’s accomplices from getting into Asgard, truly I did but I couldn’t cross into Jotunheim.”</p>
<p>“Why didn’t you warn me or Thor that we should expect an attack?”</p>
<p>“I was afraid, I didn’t want to lose Thor’s favor if there was the slightest chance of Thrym’s goons not being able to enter Asgard. I realize my mistake All-father, I realize I betrayed Thor. I am sorry, I am truly, deeply sorry.” He dared not voice how he summarily didn’t care for having hurt Thor now that he knew Thor would readily kill him, he schooled his face into what he hoped was an expression of genuine remorse for his actions and told himself that the constant ache in his chest had nothing to do with any real remorse.  He needed to play this game, for as long as he could, he needed to buy himself time to escape Asgard unscathed.</p>
<p>The All-father once again remained silent, the fire crackling in the hearth was the only sound in the room as Loki waited and wondered if he’d managed to placate the All-father or if he’d just walked himself into a trap. The old man was cunning and ruthless unlike Thor who was easily manipulated and didn’t think before he acted.</p>
<p>“I have met many a courtier, bar wench and thrall in the nine realms Loki, none have the talent for couching truth in lies like you do.”</p>
<p>Loki opened his mouth but the All-father put up a silencing hand and he immediately shut his mouth.</p>
<p>“You feel no differently about Thor than when you first came here, especially in light of recent circumstances I can even understand your revulsion in having to marry my son. But tell me, would life in one of Jotunheim’s birthing kennels really be more preferable to you?”</p>
<p>Loki’s eyes widened in fear, he did not know where this was going, was the All-father threatening to send him back to Jotunheim? He had no doubt the old King of Asgard would be cruel enough to do it, he’d banished his own son, what did Loki, a useless runt from Jotunheim who was more trouble than worth mean to the King? He would be cast out in a heartbeat and Loki was ready to prostrate himself to the ground to prevent such a fate from befalling him.</p>
<p>The All-father rose, his eye flashed in anger as he shouted, “So you do know what your fate would have been like on Jotunheim and yet you have done everything in your power to reject Asgard and Thor’s generosity, you’ve condemned Thor in front of all of Asgard and made yourself an enemy to the people of Asgard.”</p>
<p>Loki knelt before the All-father, his eyes filling with tears as he felt the cold clutches of fear wrap itself around his heart. “I beg you All-father, please do not send me back to Jotunheim.”</p>
<p>“I cannot force my son to marry you Loki, I cannot condemn him to a life of misery and hatred. He is my only son, flawed though he may be, he is still my flesh and blood.”</p>
<p>Loki’s breath left him, his throat tightened as he heaved, trying to take in air that his lungs didn’t seem to want to draw, he pictured himself in the birthing kennels of Jotunheim, surrounded on all sides by giants who were three times as tall, cruel and sadistic. Without his magic, he wouldn’t last a single day in Jotunheim’s kennels.</p>
<p>“When Thor returns back from his banishment on Midgard, I am going to let him decide whether he wants to marry you or not. Pray that he chooses to for otherwise I would have no choice than to send you back to Laufey.”</p>
<p>“Your magic will be bound until Thor’s return to Asgard and you will be restricted to your chambers. I pray you do not try anything foolish Loki, Heimdall’s sight is always upon you and my patience is at an end.”</p>
<p>The All-father dismissed him from his chambers and Loki beat a hasty retreat to his chambers, he had to find a way to get out of Asgard. There was no doubt in his mind that Thor would decide not to marry him, he couldn’t imagine the brute would be any less cruel than Jotun warriors now that Loki had betrayed him. He couldn’t stay in Asgard, he couldn’t go back to Jotunheim, he hated his life, he hated Thor, he hated his father, and he hated the Norns for cursing him with such a life.</p>
<p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>A shield on a mages seidr can be placed in many ways either using physical bindings or through blocking a mages seidr at the source of its origin which was the mages soul. The first form of binding was relatively easy to break and was not as foolproof as the second method, physical bindings still left the mage capable to performing some tasks with their seidr. However, a blockage at the source of seidr was much more difficult to break and left the mage completely unable to draw from the well of seidr which flowed through their soul. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>If one had to imagine it, the shield was like tangled yarns of thread, forming multiple webs upon webs which were then slammed into the source of a mages seidr. Once the soul shield has been placed, most mages were unable even to envision it in their minds, only the most powerful of mages were able to see a shield that had been placed on them. Trying to unspool the threads was like trying to cut the head of a three headed dragon that always grew back its heads no matter how many times you tried to cut it down, the threads always snapped back into place and the web remained undisturbed, only the shields caster would be able to unspool the threads and allow a mage access to his seidr again. </em>
</p><p>It had been a week since Thor’s banishment and Loki had spent the better part of his time meditating and trying with all his might to carefully untangle the individual threads of the All-father’s seidr which was shielding his magic. He had not been successful in finding a way to make the threads remain unspooled once he’d pulled them out and separated the places where they were knotted.</p><p>With his time running out and no idea of Thor’s whereabouts on Midgard, Loki continued to rigorously attack his shield to no avail.</p><p>As the two threads he’d carefully cut apart in the past six hours grew back into place right where they once were, Loki screamed pulling on his hair and ripping a clump of dark black strands in his hand.</p><p>He was done for, he would be sent back to Jotunheim in disgrace and Laufey would make him a broodmare for the monstrous Jotun warriors.</p><p>Loki pulled his legs close to his chest in a fetal position and rocked back and forth, his mind providing him with unwelcome images of the runts of Jotunheim. Laufey had used them to taunt Loki since he had reached adolescence, telling him just what his fate would have been if Odin had not asked for an alliance with Jotunheim through him.  Jotuns including his brothers and father had treated him with barely veiled contempt throughout his life, his father had decreed that no Jotun warrior could touch him because he was promised to the Prince of Asgard but that didn’t stop tongues from wagging and eyes from coveting.</p><p>His position as Royal Consort to Prince Thor Odinson of Asgard had given him what little protection runts had on Jotunheim and once he was a century old, Laufey had sent him to Alfheim to be raised there instead of remaining in Jotunheim and serving as a constant temptation to disgruntled warriors who were used to abusing and subjugating anyone unfortunate enough to be born as a runt.</p><p>In hindsight, he wondered whether it would not have been wiser to seduce Thor and become the Queen of one of the wealthiest and most influential realms in all the nine. While there would not be any love between them, all he would have to do is spread his legs for Thor until he begot an heir for the throne and then they could have both given each other a wide berth and lived amicably in Asgard minding their own life and work.</p><p>If he’d managed to gain ground with Thor, he could have even manipulated Thor into doing his bidding. Thor seemed like a man who would be amenable to suggestion if Loki would let him have his way with him.</p><p>XXX</p><p>Mjolnir had rejected him, Thor felt the weight of the past few days press upon him, Loki betraying him, his ill-fated trip to Jotunheim, his father banishing him to Midgard as a mortal. He felt a dam break as his carefully contained emotions burst forth, he felt like someone had a vice around his heart as tears came unbidden and he sobbed for the first time in his adult life.</p><p>“Why?” He screamed up at the skies of Midgard asking Heimdall, his mother, his father, why had they done this to him? Did he mean nothing to them? He was their son, he would have accepted any punishment, anything at all, instead they had abandoned him, cast him out to a foreign realm with none of his powers and no hope of ever seeing Asgard again.</p><p>He felt his heart break into a million pieces as he stared forlornly at Mjolnir and allowed the Midgardians to chain him and take him away. He had no protest left in him now, he was well and truly lost.</p><p>The Midgardian who Thor presumed was in charge of the pathetic fortress built around Mjolnir interrogated him but the words were simply white noise to Thor, he couldn’t believe his life had come to this, the Mighty God of Thunder and Prince of Asgard, brought low by his own father.</p><p>
  <em>Loki, this was all because of that Jotun devil’s actions. </em>
</p><p>Thor had underestimated Loki, had thought that a little Jotun runt could not possibly do anything that would prevent him from becoming the King of Asgard. Thor gritted his teeth as he looked around himself and saw what predicament Loki had brought him to now.</p><p>“Are you seeing this you vile monster? I hope you are happy, count your days Loki for when I return to Asgard I will rip you apart limb from limb.”</p><p>“Thor”</p><p>Thor looked up and saw his mother standing in front of him, he leaped off the chair he was forced to sit in, “Mother!”</p><p>His mother came forward and Thor could see now that it was her illusion, she was not here in the flesh. He felt a twinge of sadness despite himself as he asked, “How are you mother? Has father come to his senses and released me from my banishment?”</p><p>“No Thor, your father has fallen into the Odinsleep”</p><p>His mother’s eyes were filled with tears and it was obvious to Thor that she wasn’t taking his banishment from Asgard well. However, this did nothing to calm his spirit as the All-father having fallen into the Odinsleep meant that his banishment on Earth would continue for as long as Odin slept.</p><p>“Can’t you rescind my banishment mother? I cannot be here in this Norns forsaken realm with Asgard on the brink of war with Jotunheim and father falling into the Odinsleep.”</p><p>Thor searched his mother’s eyes, his mother was the most kind hearted and gentle person in all the nine realms, surely she would not want for her only son to remain on Midgard.</p><p>Despite the tears falling from her eyes however, there was a steely resolve in her voice as she stated, “Your father sent you here for a purpose Thor and until you fulfill that purpose your place is here.”</p><p>“No! No!” Thor shouted, not caring if the Midgardians would come rushing in to restrain him further, “He didn’t send me away, he cast me away! I am Asgard’s rightful King, I am his son! I want to come home mother, please take me home.”</p><p>Frigga sobbed openly now, her illusion touching Thor’s face as if to memorize every feature on her son’s face, “I cannot Thor.”</p><p>Thor backed away from her feeling completely betrayed and hurt that even his mother would not take him back home where he belonged.</p><p>“Then you’re no different than Odin”</p><p>“Thor”</p><p>“Leave mother” Thor spoke in a tone that was resolute, he kept his gaze firmly on the floor even when he heard his mother’s anguished cries, he had always believed that his mother at least loved him too much to contemplate as extreme a punishment as exile. It seemed though that the Norns had no intention of stopping his torment anytime soon, he hung his head and waited in silence once his mother’s illusion had vanished. His thoughts went to Mjolnir and how he had never been without the prized war hammer for more than eight centuries now, even when he put his hammer down he could always hear her singing if he listened closely, now the loss of his hammer felt as though he had lost one of his limbs and when he sought out her singing all that greeted him was haunting silence.</p><p>XXX</p><p>Loki’s lips twisted itself into a sinister smile, his eyes were closed and he was sitting on the floor in his chambers, legs folded in the pose for meditating. Finally, he was able to cut a thread loose without much resistance yesterday after the All-father had fallen into the Odinsleep. Today, when he re-examined the shield placed upon his seidr, the thread remained cut.</p><p>He couldn’t quite believe his luck, the All-father’s indisposing sleep was the stuff of legends and he could sleep anywhere between five to fifteen years, plenty of time for Loki to unweave the thousands of threads that made up the shield and find a way out of Asgard. Thor banished to Midgard, the All-father in Odinsleep, the All-mother completely inconsolable and the throne defenseless, for once in his life the Norns were being kind to Loki.</p><p>His weeks of feeling guilty and stupid over having ruined Thor’s coronation melted away, now he was certain that he had chosen the right path. If he hadn’t sabotaged Thor’s coronation, they would have been married now and Loki could have kissed any hope of freedom goodbye. For the first time in his life, he had some control over his life and how to direct it.  He relished at being able to feel the smallest twinge of his seidr after weeks of having been locked up in his chambers without his magic. He pulled from the miniscule amount of his magic and one of the candles on the nightstand flamed to life, shedding light into the dark quietness of his chambers.</p><p>Loki laughed, he felt like he was afloat on a cloud, he would get away from Asgard yet. And while he was at it, he was going to take his revenge on the Asgardians and Jotunheim for daring to dictate his life, he would show them what a proper God of Mischief can bring about, two birds with one stone and Loki was just getting started.</p><p>XXX</p><p>
  <br/>
</p><p>“Jane, you’ve been very kind to me” Thor for the very first time in his life felt unmoored and lost, he couldn’t imagine what it would have been like if Jane and her companions hadn’t taken him in.</p><p>“I’m just glad you’re safe.”</p><p>Thor watched the woman in front of him, a complete stranger who could have taken advantage of him in this strange realm, who could have abandoned him to torture and captivity, a human mortal who cared about a stranger more than his own family had cared about him. On Asgard, he was used to women being captivated by his presence, he’d flirted and fornicated to his heart’s content and most of those women wanted something in return from the Prince of Asgard, never in his life had anyone done anything for him from a place of selflessness.</p><p>“You have a heart of gold Jane Foster”</p><p>Jane slapped Thor’s arm playfully, “Stop! It wasn’t that big of a deal, besides I did hit you with my car, twice.”</p><p>Thor smiled feeling happy for the first time since he’d been thrown off the Bifrost by his father, “Perhaps I had it coming, I know you don’t believe me but my father Odin banished me here because I almost started a war with one of the nine realms.”</p><p>Jane’s curious expression was all Thor needed to continue speaking, “You see I was betrothed to Loki, a Prince of the frost realm Jotunheim, on the day I was supposed to be crowned King he led his accomplices into Asgard and ruined my coronation. Loki was under my father’s protection, I couldn’t take my anger out on him so I….I marched into Jotunheim and” Thor paused, he couldn’t stop thinking about his homeland and how it was faring in his absence and the All-father’s sleep, he felt his chest prickle with guilt as he thought about his mother, alone and defenseless in Asgard, his people who were without a solid leader and Loki probably scheming and plotting against Asgard.</p><p>“Betrothed? Is that like…an arranged marriage?” Jane’s eyes were wide with shock and her voice was incredulous, like she couldn’t believe such a thing existed on other realms.</p><p>With what little Thor had learned since his banishment, he understood that it was a rare practice among Midgardians, he scratched at his neck, feeling suddenly self-conscious, “Eh…yes, betrothals are the way through which many Asgardians are wed, especially royalty. My father’s marriage was as much a political alliance as his father’s before him.”</p><p>“Wow…that’s….well that’s ancient” Jane snorted and Thor smiled thinking about the absurdity of having to explain royal marriages to a Midgardian to whom it probably didn’t make any sense, their lives were so fleeting, so Thor could understand why they might prioritize experiencing the high and low of having love in their relationships. Love was an exhilarating and all-consuming feeling, even being a God who had lived a millennia Thor could understand why Midgardians might prefer to marry for love.</p><p>“Do you like your betrothed?”</p><p>Jane wasn’t successful in concealing her interest, as much as she tried to look apathetic, her eyes betrayed her.</p><p>Thor remembered what Eric Selvig had asked of him, he should not be repaying Jane’s kindness by taking advantage of the way she felt for him. Then he looked at her, truly looked at her, she was the only thing about this strange realm that had been a blessing to him, Thor felt his breath catch, he felt his heart skip a beat and he answered without any hesitation, “No, he betrayed me, I want nothing to do with him any longer and if my father were to force my hand, I would gladly accept banishment to Earth until the end of my life.”</p><p>XXX</p><p>Of all the spells and practices in magic, scrying was the simplest and easiest of all talents. Children learning to manipulate their seidr learned to scry in anywhere from their first to second year of studying magic and by their fifth year, most had no trouble in becoming proficient at scrying.</p><p>Under the All-father’s orders all his magical items and spell books had been taken away from Loki. However, after a few quick adjustments to the bath tub in his chambers Loki could scry without any problems. He had gleaned from his single conversation with the All-mother that Thor’s banishment on Earth would continue until he could retrieve Mjolnir and be judged worthy once again to wield the magical hammer.</p><p>Loki understood that the All-father must have placed an enchantment on it, the terms of the enchantment however were a mystery to him. What would Thor have to do to wield the mighty hammer again? Loki could not guess at the All-father’s convoluted designs for his son, before Thor’s banishment Loki would have laughed outright at anyone who claimed the All-father could do something as drastic as exile his own son. The old fool loved his son, he was the pride and joy of Odin, Loki had no doubt he’d probably set a meagre enough task for his son to teach him a lesson and hoped Thor would be back in Asgard in no time at all.</p><p>He focused on finding the hammer first, every day he made sure to check its presence in the stupid Midgardians’ pathetic stronghold before he scryed for anything else. He breathed a sigh of relief when he found Mjolnir stuck solidly to the ground, exactly where it had been for the past five days.</p><p>Then he changed the imagery in his head and pictured Thor in his mind’s eye, red cape flowing, hair the color of gold, the massive shadow Thor’s presence cast, eyes like clear skies in the summer and that ever present sense of arrogance and cockiness that was equal parts annoying and endearing at the same time.</p><p>Loki’s eyes bulged, his fists closed and the bath tub broke spilling water everywhere around it, Thor was fucking that insufferable Midgardian woman!</p><p>Loki hurled the nearest object that he could find at the wall and a colored glass vase shattered into a million pieces as he seethed.</p><p>It had not even been a whole month since Thor’s banishment to Midgard and he’d already found someone to whore around with. Loki paced his chambers, trying and failing to contain the angry snarl that erupted unbidden from his lips.</p><p>What had he expected though? Loki thought angrily, he knew this would happen, sooner or later. That was the problem with Thor, he was sure this would have happened even if they had been married. But to think that just a few weeks before his banishment, he’d been so kind to him, so adoring even, so much that Loki had relented and wanted to sleep with him, and all it took was a pretty mortal face for Thor to forget all about him, Loki who had been his betrothed from the time of his birth meant less to Thor than a puny and weak mortal woman.</p><p>Loki didn’t need any more confirmation that Thor would choose to discard him in a heartbeat when he returned to Asgard, he wasn’t close enough to rip away the All-father’s shield enough to travel between realms yet. If Thor somehow managed to become worthy of Mjolnir before Loki could escape to another realm then all would be lost, he had no doubt Thor would forcibly drag him in chains to Jotunheim once he was here.</p><p>If only he knew what pesky enchantment the All-father had laid upon Mjolnir, he could not let Thor become worthy of the hammer until he could safely travel between realms, he schooled his thoughts and sat on the floor of his chambers in a lotus position, it was time to really pull the shield on his seidr apart. He could not hope to influence events on Midgard unless he cut away a large portion of the shield restricting him from accessing his seidr.</p><p>XXX</p><p>“Wow, H R Giger will be disappointed to know aliens are as tame as this, heck even I’m disappointed, are we sure this is an alien?”</p><p>Thor frowned, he was still unaccustomed to other talking about him as though he were not present. In Asgard, everyone acknowledged his presence, in all the other realms he was known as the fierce and mighty Prince of Asgard and God of Thunder. That this diminutive mortal debated on the likelihood of Thor being an ‘alien’ was insolent and inane.</p><p>“I assure you Mr Stark, Thor is definitely not from around here.”</p><p>It was Son of Coul who assured Stark of Thor’s alien-ness.</p><p>“Mmmm yeahh…I still think you gotta check his blood work for steroids.”</p><p>“Tony, we’ve analyzed his blood and other bodily fluids several times, the composition of it is nothing like what humans have on Earth. He’s alien and if his stories are to be believed he is the God of Thunder…you know…the one from the Scandinavian stories…the Thor.”</p><p>“If he’s a God then why’s he so….”</p><p>The mortal known as Stark waved his hands indicating Thor’s rather lackluster appearance.</p><p>“I have been banished to Midgard by Odin All-father, the King of Asgard.”</p><p>“Shit parent huh? I never thought an alien would have relatable daddy issues!”</p><p>“You shall not besmirch my father’s name so mortal, I have a purpose to serve on Midgard.”</p><p>“What purpose exactly?”</p><p>The man called Tony Stark had an incredulous expression on his face, his eyebrows were raised mockingly as Thor fumbled for an answer.</p><p>“I do not know….yet. Once I serve my purpose on Midgard, the All-father will welcome me back to Asgard.”</p><p>“Riiight….so what can you tell us about Ass-gard?”</p><p>Thor frowned, something about the way Stark had said Asgard’s name sounded like ridicule to him but he couldn’t place what was wrong so he resorted to answering the man’s questions in a clipped manner.</p><p>“Asgard is the realm eternal, the realm of the Gods, your realm Midgard occupies the center of the world tree Yggdrasill.”</p><p>Thor kept explaining keeping his answers short and to the point, he did not want to give these mortals too much information regarding Asgard. Midgard had come a long way from when he was last here and until he knew more about these mortals and what kind of a threat they might pose to Asgard he had to be cautious and vigilant.</p><p>XXX</p><p>
  <em>Color me red</em>
</p><p>
  <em>I do not wish to be wed</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Why you ask?</em>
</p><p>
  <em>It’s a cumbersome task</em>
</p><p>Loki idly scrawled out the lyrics to his poem in his mind as he sat in Asgard’s war council meeting posing as Lord Fafner, an elderly nobleman who always had the King’s ear.</p><p>
  <em>Color me green</em>
</p><p>
  <em>I have no desire to preen</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Wedding balls and silken raiment’s</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Ever lead to sulking laments</em>
</p><p>He’d never thought these meetings could be more boring that the women’s sewing circle, warring men were a dull sort. All they ever did was drone and drone about battle fields, weather, formations, weapon supplies, food supplies and other boring matters.</p><p>“We cannot possibly go to war with Jotunheim now, the All-father is indisposed and Thor is banished, Asgard has never before been as weak as it is now.”</p><p>Loki sat up, his sharp ears having picked up on exactly the type of conversation he was here to influence.</p><p>“We must answer Jotunheim’s impudence with swift retaliation Lord Angsar, the Prince was right about wanting to protect Asgard. How can any of us feel safe in our homes? How can any of us sleep at night knowing a frost giant might cross into our borders unknown and unsighted even by the All-seeing Heimdall? We must act! And we must act now!”</p><p>“Lord Fafner, we understand your point of view but the fact remains that both the Prince and the King are indisposed at the moment.”</p><p>“That’s not to say we can’t make an example of that snake that’s kept so comfortably in the palace. If we put Loki’s head on a spike that should serve as a warning to those monsters never to invade Asgard again.”</p><p>Loki kept his face carefully neutral at Lord Ingtar’s suggestion that they make an example of him for all of Jotunheim to see. He had to diffuse the situation now before the idea took root in their minds. The All-mother was not in her best state of mind now and Loki doubted she’d protect him if it came down to the nobles of Asgard petitioning her for his head.</p><p>“Ingtar, your ignorance astounds me. Loki is a runt, on Jotunheim runts are treated as less than pet dogs. Neither Laufey nor Jotunheim would blink an eye if we were to make an example by sticking that runts head on a spike.”</p><p>“Prince Thor should be here, I cannot believe the All-father would deign to banish our Prince because he did not want to marry a Jotun beast and rightfully so!”</p><p>The war council kept on debating about whether to go to war with Jotunheim, whether to make an example of Loki by executing him publicly, whether the All-father had become senile and demented for what other reason could there be for him being cruel enough to banish Thor, their beloved golden Prince. Loki zoned it all out, if this was what Thor and Odin had to put up with on a regular basis, then no wonder that they were so surly come dinner time.</p><p>
  <em>Color me blue</em>
</p><p>
  <em>I have not a clue</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Why so much repute? </em>
</p><p>
  <em>For a meagre brute.</em>
</p><p>XXX</p><p>
  <em>The spell of Vyraj is used for a number of purposes because of its versatility, in ancient times Olympian Gods used them to reform another God’s practices. It was famously used by Zeus to reform Hera of her often vengeful and contemptuous nature. The spell takes away something dear, something a person could not live without and forces them to change in order for the spell to be broken and for what was taken to be returned to them. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>In the past six hundred years, the practice of using the spell has become obsolete because of the dangers it inflicted on mortals and Gods alike who were unable to reform themselves who then spiraled into madness. The ethos of forcing a person to change themselves to such a great degree also played a part in the spell not being in vogue now and relegated to a time and place far more cruel and regressive. </em>
</p><p>Loki pumped his fists in air twice, he had found it! At long last, after two months of perusing through tome after tome in Asgard’s library, looking for anything similar to the All-father’s spell on Mjolnir, he had found something that he was sure was the spell used on Mjolnir by the All-father. It was the only spell that could come close to what the All-father intended to do. Once the joy of his success had passed a little though, Loki felt shocked to learn that the All-father had used a spell so ancient and dangerous on his own son.</p><p>When he initially thought about the type of spells the All-father could have placed on Mjolnir, he thought it would probably be something trivial and easy to overcome. That Odin had decided to use what appeared to be a powerful and foolproof enchantment made him question everything he thought he knew about the All-father.</p><p>Thor had been brash and impudent to go running into Jotunheim and making demands of Laufey-King but to cast him out to Midgard powerless and with no assurance of him ever breaking the spell and becoming reformed, what was the All-father thinking? Loki knew he valued Thor above everything else, there was something more to this than Loki knew, and something that must explain the All-father’s rather drastic and punitive actions.</p><p>Still, that the spell was not an everyday average love spell that Thor could tumble over and break easily left Loki a little confident that he’d be able to escape Asgard within the time it took for the lumbering brute to figure anything out on his own, distracted as he seemed to be with his mortal lover.</p><p>XXX</p><p>Thor crushed another one of Dr Doom’s robotic minions with his bare arms, his battle lust was raging and he hadn’t felt so liberated in a long time now.</p><p>He turned around and there were five minions closing in on him from all sides, he smirked, “Finally! A challenge!”</p><p>“Thor, do not engage the servitors until you have back up.”</p><p>That was the Man of Metals voice that he heard through the ear piece that they’d fitted him with. Thor grunted, he wasn’t going to be taking orders from a puny mortal who needed a metal impenetrable suit to go into battle. There was something about hiding in such a way that seemed too much like cowardice to Thor, he understood the use of battle armor but to cover oneself so completely that their shield brothers were unable to see them at all was what a yellow bellied youth would do, not a seasoned warrior, which is why he had more respect for Steve Rogers than Stark.</p><p>Thor caught the one on his right side by its throat, he crushed the metal hinge that held up its head on its body with his bare hands and flung the pile of useless scrap at three more metal minions who were advancing on him from the front.</p><p>Their momentary lapse of formation was enough for Thor to jump up and kick two of the minions in the chest sending them sprawling to the ground.</p><p>“Point break, do not engage, they have a gas canister that they deploy to”</p><p>But Thor wasn’t listening, he picked up the last minion, held it aloft above his head and flung it into the wall where it landed with an almighty crash. Stark and Steve Rogers rushed in when Thor had dispatched the last of the minions, they surveyed their surroundings and the Captain’s eyes were wide with awe.</p><p>Stark removed the armor around his face and let out an exasperated huff, “I guess despite appearances you maybe a little impressive after all Point break.”</p><p>Steve rolled his eyes and Thor grinned wide and uninhibited, he wouldn’t mind being on Earth if it involved fighting alongside Earth’s mighty heroes. Once again he found himself feeling grateful that he had Jane, she was the one who had convinced him to try and give the Midgardian equivalent of the All-father’s Einherjar a chance. It had been nearly three months since his banishment to Midgard and Thor found himself feeling at home among the Midgardians, his affections for Jane had only grown deeper and he smiled to himself as he thought the All-father would be very displeased indeed if he found that Thor had turned what was meant to be a punishment into something of a joyous vacation to a foreign realm.</p><p>Unbeknownst to Thor, Loki watched from Asgard, Thor’s face was brimming with smugness at having defeated his foes without breaking a sweat and his battle lust made him raucous as he drank Midgardian ale and danced obscenely with his wench. His companions were in similar degrees of inebriation and howled and hooted at him as he swept Jane Foster off her feet and carried her away.</p><p>Loki dispelled the image with a wave of his hand and sighed. He was no closer to being able to walk the realms, Thor’s Midgardian had talked him into trying to lift Mjolnir again and Loki was unsure of how much Thor had reformed and whether he would be able to lift the mighty hammer if he tried once again. He had saved several of the Midgardians’ lives along with his companions, what if Mjolnir heeded his call the next time he tried to lift it?</p><p>Loki attacked his shield every single day and each day more and more seidr was accessible to him but to travel between realms would require the highest focus and power, he was nowhere near being able to draw that much seidr now. He could not hinge on Thor being unworthy of the hammer and giving him more time to work the knots of his shield out, he needed a new plan.</p><p>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>So how many of you are upset that Tom Hiddleston is probably not going to appear in Thor Love and Thunder? I know I am! </p>
<p>As always thank you for all the kudos and comments!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p>
<p>“So wait, what you’re saying is that you’ve been pretty much engaged since birth to this…Loki?” Tony’s eyes were the size of dinner plates in his face, his tone expressing the horror that he felt.</p>
<p>Thor rubbed the back of his neck self-consciously and wished Jane were here to detract his comrades from probing into his personal life.</p>
<p>“Yes, my father Odin and Loki’s father Laufey arranged our marriage to ensure peace between Jotunheim and Asgard.”</p>
<p>“Laufey who tried to conquer Earth with his magic cryosthenic device?”</p>
<p>“It’s a very powerful and ancient tool of the frost giants, it’s called the Casket of Ancient Winters.”</p>
<p>“So hypothetically, these…uh…these frost giants could freeze the Earth solid with this cryosthenic device?”</p>
<p>“It’s not a <em>cryo-thenic</em> device Stark, it’s a magical relic. And you have nothing to worry about, the Casket has been safely locked inside Asgard’s vaults for over a millennia.”</p>
<p>“Yeah until your pissed off fiancé led his minions inside this air tight vault to steal this…box”</p>
<p>Thor could tell Tony Stark was being intentionally contrary in not using the correct term for the Casket but he let it slide. All the Avengers were giving him expectant looks of varying degrees, Natasha in particular gave him a piercing stare that made him gulp, Lady Natasha was ever more fearsome than Sif despite being a mortal.</p>
<p>“What are you asking me here?” Thor snapped finally, having no patience for them beating around the bush.</p>
<p>“We’re asking how much of a threat these frost giants are to the Earth and whether we should prepare some contingencies.”</p>
<p>“That would not be necessary Stark, the Earth is under Odin’s protection, Asgard’s warriors will drive away the frost giants back to their frozen hell-hole should they ever try to invade Midgard again.”</p>
<p>“Your dad who is sleeping beauty for who knows how long”</p>
<p>Thor frowned, “I would not use the word beautiful to describe the All-father….he’s fearsome, ruthless and strong.”</p>
<p>Steve interrupted before Tony could make another sarcastic remark or culture reference that Thor wouldn’t get.</p>
<p>“If Loki tries to steal the Casket again and hands it over to the frost giants, wouldn’t it be possible for them to invade Earth again? You told us he’s a Prince, what if he decides to gather an army and invade us again?”</p>
<p>“Loki is currently locked up in Asgard with his seidr…magic completely shielded. Heimdall our gatekeeper constantly watches over Loki. Anyways, even in the unlikely event that he escaped Asgard, he has no standing on Jotunheim because he’s not a normal frost giant, he’s a runt.”</p>
<p>“As in small?”</p>
<p>“Yes and his…anatomical differences, Loki can bear children, runts are usually used a broodmares on Jotunheim, whether the runts like it or not.”</p>
<p>“What?”</p>
<p>“Wooow…”</p>
<p>“Shit!”</p>
<p>Thor was greeted with the collective outrage of all the Avengers.</p>
<p>“That’s just cruel!” said Banner.</p>
<p>“That’s gross!” Clint’s revulsion was evident as he made a gag face.</p>
<p>“What kind of places are these Nine Realms? How have they not evolved past such primitive practices?” asked Natasha, Thor always took great pleasure in telling them all that they were the most useless of all realms because they were not even advanced enough to know of the existence of other realms. So to hear that these places that were probably ten times as old as the Earth had not evolved past the dark ages was disturbing.</p>
<p>“If these frost giants treat runts so horribly then why did Loki resist marrying you? I mean…I kinda get the picture that Asgard isn’t perfect but Jotunheim seems much worse.”</p>
<p>It was Tony Stark who asked the difficult question once again, among all his mortal comrades, Tony was the most perceptive as well as the most annoying. He reminded Thor of Fandral.</p>
<p>“We did not exactly...’get along’ as you mortals would say” Thor was once again reminded of the cruel way in which Loki had betrayed him, making him lose face in front of all of Asgard, making him look incompetent in front of the All-father which then led to the All-father banishing him to Midgard.</p>
<p>“Ah, so he was stuck between a rock and a hard place. It’s not that hard to see why he might have wanted to run away, I know I would.”</p>
<p>“TONY!” Steve exclaimed, he knew Tony could be callous and blunt but they didn’t even know anything about Thor and Loki’s relationship for Tony to make such a comment.</p>
<p>“What? Point break here is a pain in the ass to deal with when he’s grumpy, and his dad kicked him out because apparently he was bigger pain in the ass than he is now….I can make an educated guess on how he would have treated Loki from all the in your face racist attitude he has towards frost giants.”</p>
<p>Thor stood up, his massive frame shaking with anger as he said “You know nothing of what Loki is Stark, and nothing about Frost Giants either.”</p>
<p>“Oh? Enlighten me then, why don’t you like them aside from them having tried to invade Midgard?”</p>
<p>“Because they’re monsters, savages who plunder and pillage and tried to take this world with no regard for any living being. That war resulted in my father losing his eye, thousands of Asgardians lost their lives trying to protect your realm. And in return for all that bloodshed they foisted a Jotun monster upon me, for life. I had no choice.”</p>
<p>“Didn’t your father do the same thing in conquering the Nine realms? Are you telling me that there was no bloodshed there? That it was all a quiet, nice, amicable and peaceful take over?”</p>
<p>Thor found himself drawing short at that, he didn’t know too much about Asgard’s history having never paid any attention to such a boring subject but as Prince of Asgard, he was expected to know the major battles and strategies that were employed to herd Asgard to unmitigated success and dominion over the Nine realms.</p>
<p>Tony was not done yet though, he went on, “These frost giants tried to take over the Earth a millennia ago…that’s a long time. The Brits tried to take over the entire Earth not a hundred years ago, today we all get along fine here, are you telling me you’re petty enough to hold a grudge for a thousand years? And you wonder why you aren’t yet worthy of your…Meowlinir.”</p>
<p>“Tony!” Steve groaned, not liking where this was going at all, in truth, he was surprised Thor hadn’t just punched Tony and thrown him off the Avenger’s tower yet.</p>
<p>Thor for his part looked equal parts shocked and angry, he clenched his fists and walked away from the rest of the Avengers. Never in his life had he felt quite as chastised as he did today by Tony Stark. His hammer had not budged an inch even when he’d tried to lift it again, it was nearly four months since he’d been banished to Midgard and through the cloying and ever present thrum of rage in his veins, Thor wondered whether what Tony Stark said was true, whether he really was unworthy of wielding his hammer and returning to Asgard.</p>
<p>XXX</p>
<p>Loki appeared next to Mjolnir, looking around in panic he immediately cast an invisibility spell on himself. He looked at Mjolnir closely, its magic had always been somewhat of a mystery to Loki but he was heartened to find it exactly as it was four months back when Thor had been banished to Midgard.</p>
<p>Loki took a deep breath as his hands closed around Mjolnir, he pulled but as he had suspected already the hammer didn’t budge. He used both his hands for good measure and still the hammer stayed put. Rolling his eyes and cursing the All-father for his convoluted enchantments, Loki left the fortress the Midgardians had built around Thor’s precious hammer.</p>
<p>He’d been scrying every day since Thor had been banished and he had no trouble navigating the streets of Midgard as he surveyed the realm with mild interest. He had been to Midgard only once in his entire millennia of existence, incidentally he’d been here last with Thor on a hunting trip with a sea faring warrior people. Then Thor being who he was got himself involved in the natives’ squabbling and spent nearly three years on the mortals’ realm, Loki had left Midgard within a week of having stepped foot in the realm, the mortals never held any fascination for him as they did for Thor.</p>
<p>When he came upon what he suspected was Thor’s new wench’s home, he shapeshifted into a miniature feline creature, his coat was dark and his eyes were still green, he let himself in through one of the windows and surveyed his surroundings from his vantage point on the ground.</p>
<p>The abode was rather cluttered and small, he couldn’t believe the Mighty Thor would willingly agree to stay in such a squalor as this. There were only three chambers inside this Midgardian dwelling, one Loki could tell was probably used for cooking, there was a hall that was jammed with shelves upon shelves of books, most of them teetering precariously on the edge, there were more books strewn across a low table and every other spare surface that could accommodate a book. Loki knew Thor was hardly one with a literary persuasion so he figured the books must be the Midgardians’ property. He felt a grudging respect for the mortal woman and wondered how on Earth she had fallen for a dumb brute such as Thor.</p>
<p>The third room’s door was closed, Loki from his extensive scrying knew it to be the bedchambers. He scowled darkly at the thought of what Thor was probably getting up to with his mortal lover. There was not much for him to do at the moment, he had just been able to access enough of his seidr to travel to Midgard which was the closest realm to Asgard. Any other realm was too great a distance away for him to travel to without substantially a lot more of his seidr. As he could not walk through the realms on Asgard where Heimdall and the Einherjar made it practically impossible for him to so much as get out of his chambers, Loki had resorted to come down to Midgard and try and find if this pathetic rock had any doorways to other realms.</p>
<p>As he turned back to leave, he heard the sound of the door opening and out walked Thor’s mortal lover. Loki was unfortunately not close enough to the anything that he could hide behind and was thus caught red handed as it were.</p>
<p>“Oh!” Thor’s mortal lover exclaimed softly, her hair in a disarray and her eyes a little bloodshot.</p>
<p>In the next moment, Thor lumbered out of the room wearing only a loose fitting leggings, his chest and arms bare. He looked a lot more alert than his lover did and Loki froze on the spot as he wondered what to do. Thor was familiar with all his other forms and this form was no exception, they’d once played a prank on an old codger on Nilfheim when they’d found out that the man had an unhealthy obsession for felines.</p>
<p>Loki’s hackles were raised, he looked at both Thor and his lover cursing himself internally for failing to be more astute.</p>
<p>“Look, it’s a cat, probably a stray….” Thor’s lover walked closer and bent to down to pick Loki up. Loki hissed indignantly and clawed at the mortals arm viciously.</p>
<p>“Wow…easy, easy there kitty, who are you?”</p>
<p>Thor’s lover lifted him up to inspect him with an insipidly adoring expression on her face, Loki wriggled in her grasp but the mortal had him in a firm grip that had shifted enough that Loki was unable to claw at her again.</p>
<p>“We should probably see it out of the house Jane.” Loki felt happy for a small moment, Thor hadn’t recognized him and he was being sensible for once but his mortal lover looked scandalized by his suggestion.</p>
<p>“We are not going to put him out in the middle of winter, he’s probably homeless, cold and hungry.”</p>
<p>
  <em>Oh great! Insipid as well as sickeningly naïve, did this mortal just let anyone and any stray into her home and hearth? Just how desperate was she for companionship that she’d stoop so low as to pick up an unknown alien and a wandering cat into her home just because she happened by it? </em>
</p>
<p>“There there kitty, are you hungry? I have some fresh milk for you…Thor can you please heat it up for me?”</p>
<p>Loki expected Thor to throw a fit and demand his lover to do her tasks herself but wonder of all wonders, he hastened to <em>obey </em>her. Loki was so flummoxed by this that he stopped struggling in the mortals arms for a minute just to observe Thor pulling out something from a metal freeze box and turning on what looked to be a Midgardian spit that caught fire when Thor used some implement to light it.</p>
<p>Was this Thor? Thor who willfully and deliberately upended dinner tables at banquets if something wasn’t to his taste? Thor who expected everyone to pick up after everything he left behind? Thor who was the bane to all flagons and ale mugs in taverns all across the nine realms?</p>
<p>Loki turned back to look at the Midgardian as she scratched his ears, despite himself he found her light touch to be incredibly pleasurable and he purred.</p>
<p>Thor’s lover settled him down onto the counter of the cooking chambers, she pulled out a stool and sat down watching as Thor expertly handled the spit and not only warmed up the milk but prepared a meal for her. The mortal put a bowl of milk in front of him and Loki feeling hungry now that he smelled food helped himself to the bowl as he watched Thor and his mortal interact.</p>
<p>Thor was smiling and teasing the mortal as he handed her a plate of what he’d carefully prepared, Loki looked on as resentment curled in his breast and jealousy clouded his vision. In all the long years of their betrothal, Thor had never once deigned to look at him that kindly, never once had he treated Loki with as much generosity as he treated this feeble mortal.</p>
<p>He jumped down from the counter and before either Thor or the mortal could get their hands about him, he jumped out of the window he’d come in and escaped.</p>
<p>XXX</p>
<p>“Stark, why did you spare him?” Thor’s voice boomed as he demanded an explanation for why Stark had just left their foe totally unharmed after he’d tried to bring down an entire building upon them all.</p>
<p>“Thor…” Steve warned but Thor was not going to heed it, he was furious. He could have died today, he’d never felt as powerless and vulnerable in his entire life as he felt today as he barely moved out of a ton of bricks that would have crushed this frail mortal body. As it is, he had several broken ribs that made every breath he took an agony, even with the Midgardian medicine coursing through his system and taking the edge off the pain.</p>
<p>“Stark, start talking or I swear to you, you will feel my wrath.”</p>
<p>Tony who had up until now ignored Thor turned to face him, “I didn’t know I was answerable to an alien crazy enough to believe himself a God.”</p>
<p>“I am a God you puny mortal, you have no inkling of my power.”</p>
<p>Tony laughed nastily, he pointed his finger and said “Newsflash pal, you’re as much a puny mortal as the rest of us, thanks to daddy grounding you for being a naughty naughty war mongering boy.”</p>
<p>“I am not a war-monger, I have never raised an arm to a foe that didn’t challenge me first.”</p>
<p>“So you don’t throw the first punch, bravo” Tony clapped as Steve and Natasha looked on from the sidelines, “Everyone give Thor a trophy!”</p>
<p>Thor growled as he walked closer to Tony, he was this short of picking Stark up and shaking him, “Why do you act so foolishly? That boy could have killed us all and you let him walk free!”</p>
<p>“I killed his mother.”</p>
<p>“What?” Thor drew a step back in shock.</p>
<p>“Oh yeah, not too long ago I was a war monger just like you and that boy’s mother died because of one of Stark industries missiles exploding in a terrorist attack, missiles I and my company supplied to war mongers all over the world.”</p>
<p>Thor shook his head, “You did not swing the axe Stark..”</p>
<p>“Oh I did, and I didn’t give one fuck about it, just like you….but I…” here Tony paused as his eyes filled with tears, “I killed….so many people.”</p>
<p>Thor reeled back from Tony, he had never imagined one of his shield brothers to have had such a history. In hindsight, Tony’s extensive efforts to protect his world from behind his metal suit made sense now, he was trying to make amends for past deeds and mistakes.</p>
<p>“You don’t always have to be swinging the axe to destroy people, not when you’re in a position of power.”</p>
<p>Tony’s eyes drilled into Thor’s and the implication of his words were not lost on Thor, Thor looked away, unable to meet Tony’s piercing stare.</p>
<p>XXX</p>
<p>Loki found himself a nice spot on the couch of Thor’s mortal as he watched from his vantage point, Thor seemed agitated today, usually he was rather comfortable and open with his mortal so something was definitely up today.</p>
<p>Loki internally crowed in delight at having caught Thor in such a state of agony, he could tell Thor’s mortal body had taken a real pummeling what with the way he moved gingerly and sucked in a sharp breath of pain every once in a while.</p>
<p><em>Good, let it hurt, for once you are the pathetic and weak one. </em>Loki thought viciously as he licked his paws clean and laid his head down on top of them.</p>
<p>“Maybe I am unworthy”</p>
<p>“Thor”</p>
<p>Thor’s lover’s voice sounded placating, evidently this was not their first time discussing Thor’s rather glaring inability to lift his mighty hammer.</p>
<p>“No…no…Stark said some things today and I’ve been…thinking, about my banishment, about Mjolnir not heeding my call any longer. Jane…I’m not worthy, I wonder if I ever was.”</p>
<p>“Oh Thor, you are not a bad person….perhaps you can’t lift it because your father fell asleep and forgot to remove…..the ‘mumbo-jumbo’ on your hammer.”</p>
<p>Loki felt a snarl erupting from his mouth as he yowled in indignation, what a stupid little mortal! To think of saying something so insipid about the All-father’s enchantment of all things.</p>
<p>Thor laughed out loud and then wheezed and clutched his torso in pain.</p>
<p>
  <em>‘Ah, so you even you see her stupidity!’</em>
</p>
<p>“Mumbo-jumbo? Jane Foster, you truly are a treasure, you can bring me out of a stormy disposition quicker than the prospect of a bilgesnipe hunt.”</p>
<p>“On Earth, we call it the ‘blues’”</p>
<p>“What do you call blues?”</p>
<p>“You know…sad moods, depressing situations, when you feel like everything is crumbling and you have no one and nothing to fall back on?”</p>
<p>“Blues” Thor tested the word in his mouth, his expression one of contemplation before he declared, “I like it.”</p>
<p>“Unless you are beyond depressed, then we call it the mean reds.”</p>
<p>“I’m not experiencing the mean reds as I have you to handle my blues.”</p>
<p>Jane laughed, “We should so watch Breakfast at Tiffany’s!”</p>
<p>“What is that? Another play?”</p>
<p>“It’s a movie, I can’t believe you’ve been here for five months and not picked up on the right name for it.”</p>
<p>Thor winked, “Oh I do remember, but it is becoming to see that flush on your cheeks.”</p>
<p>Jane slapped Thor’s arm affectionately and Loki stewed from his position on the couch. He didn’t understand why he subjected himself to seeing this. He had roamed nearly three quarters of Midgard in his attempt to try and find a portal to another world here but he hadn’t encountered success so far. This realm was as useless as it was backward, in Asgard the nobles were growing ever more frantic in want of something to do, Loki had barely managed to quell another contingent of nobles and war lords who wanted to see him dead. He was spending more and more time on Midgard as he acutely felt the proverbial knife at his back every time he was on Asgard. His doppelganger was doing a good job of fooling the ever watchful Heimdall but something was going to give soon as it always did and Loki did not know if and when that happened, he would land on his two feet or be set adrift. </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter 5</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>This chapter concludes the story of Thor 1, Loki's actions are very very questionable and immoral in this chapter and there is some dub-con involved. So you've been given fair warning. </p><p>Thank you for all the kudos, bookmarks and comments! It always makes my day and motivates me to write more and more.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Jane. What an insipid little name, thought Loki uncharitably. To think he had considered her smart initially, well if nothing Thor and Jane deserved each other. She was as stupid as the dumb oaf.</p><p>She’d prodded and pestered Thor until he had relented to try lifting Mjolnir again.</p><p>Loki, perched atop his spot right next to the stupid mortal with his bows and arrows looked on as Jane and Thor stood before the immovable hammer. He had to admit he enjoyed Thor’s look of despair as his gaze settled on Mjolnir.</p><p>“Well, look at that, the mighty Thor second guessing himself!” Loki spat loudly into the mortal man’s ears, still the mortal stayed absolutely clueless and Loki laughed.</p><p>Thor visibly hesitated, his face pulled into a grimace as he took reluctant steps towards Mjolnir.</p><p>“Hurry up and get on with it Thor, I haven’t got all day!” Loki shouted again and once again it went unnoticed by everyone assembled in the room.</p><p>Out of all of Thor’s shield brothers only the Captain and Hawkeye was with them and they both observed from a distance as Thor approached Mjolnir as if it were a particularly spooked drakhar.</p><p>Loki folded his hands and rolled his eyes, knowing full well how this drill would go he waited impatiently as Thor finally put his hands around the handle and pulled.</p><p>He felt more than saw the three inches of Mjolnir’s movement in Thor’s grip and gasped, his blood ran cold, Thor’s expression changed from one of defeat to one of hope and elation as he pulled harder.</p><p>Loki’s heart beat faster and faster in his chest as he observed with bated breath, no longer bothered even to hold up his glamor.</p><p>When one hand wasn’t having any effect, Thor put both his hands around the handle and pulled with all his might, the muscles of his arm bulging and straining with the effort.</p><p>Still, Mjolnir remained stuck and Thor groaned and gave up, Loki breathed a sigh of profound relief, his skin was clammy and his heart was still trying to beat itself out of its ribcage. Thor could not become worthy of Mjolnir now, not when Loki had still not found a way to escape Asgard.</p><p>If Thor were to return to Asgard triumphantly then he had no doubt that he would be cast away to Jotunheim, Loki was unable to unweave any more threads in the shield that kept his seidr locked away from him, the All-father was gathering his strength and probably was aware of everything that happened around him now, Odin could wake from his sleep any day and Thor could not return to Asgard before Loki found someway to transport himself between worlds.</p><p>What could have made Thor worthy of lifting the hammer again? Loki didn’t pay close attention to Thor or his mortal, they had a predictable and boring life on Midgard and Loki could not find it in himself to care about what Thor got up to, he internally slapped himself for being less vigilant, no matter, he would strive to make sure Thor became unworthy again.</p><p>But how to accomplish this?</p><p>XXX</p><p>It was five months and two weeks since Thor’s banishment to Midgard, in the past two weeks Loki had observed Thor closely trying to determine how to derail all of Thor’s progress to becoming a better God worthy of being Asgard’s King and of wielding one of the universes most powerful weapon.</p><p>He knew from observing Thor that he needed to do something that would be drastic and utterly heart breaking to return Thor back to the spoilt, arrogant and blood thirsty Godling that he was. Thor was always ruled by his emotions, he had to make sure that whatever he did would make Thor absolutely furious, if Thor became angry enough Loki was sure he’d return back to his brutish and selfish ways, the Thor that he knew was still in there, Loki was sure of it.</p><p>However, Loki had to admit at least intellectually that Thor <em>had</em> changed and the spell placed on Mjolnir had recognized this change.</p><p>It was startling to observe Thor among his mortal comrades, he seemed like an entirely different person now, back on Asgard even with his warriors three and Lady Sif there was an unspoken understanding that Thor was of a superior standing to them. Thor and his friends acted accordingly, they always conceded to Thor’s demands and it was Thor that led them during anything from skirmishes on the outskirts of Asgard to battles with other realms. He was the commander of Asgard’s legions and heir to King Odin Borson, no one forgot it and Thor didn’t let them forget it.</p><p>If anyone dared to oppose him, Thor quickly reminded them that he was the Prince of Asgard and God of Thunder, he would make the decision and the others had to heed him, if anyone said anything mildly different from his own views Thor would reprimand them to ‘know their place’ in the food chain so to speak.</p><p>Now, with his Avengers Thor was happy to be a team player, he allowed both Tony Stark and the Captain to berate him on occasions and even acquiesced to their leadership when they were facing some mortal foe or the other. It had taken Thor a long time to change but change he had.</p><p>And Loki did not even want to think about Thor’s behavior with his precious mortal, he adored the ground she walked on, in his eye, she could commit no crime, he waited on her hand and foot and anticipated her wants and needs before she even voiced them. Loki’s insides twisted into knots whenever he observed Thor looking at Jane Foster, his eyes softened with soft and tender emotion, something he had never once exhibited with anyone except Frigga in all the time Loki had known him.</p><p>What was it about this mortal that had transformed Thor so completely? Was Thor really in love with her? Was he really stupid enough to fall for a mortal whose lifespan was so short that he would lose her before he ever got to be with her? How had no one, not even the great Enchantress Amora been able to affect Thor in this manner?</p><p>Loki observed from his vantage point as the Avengers reveled in their latest triumph over yet another pathetic Midgardian foe, at least in this way Midgardians were not so much different to Asgardians. Both their species were gaudy and excessive to the point of making more refined people gag, the Iron Man seemed to be the ‘life’ of their little celebration, constantly boasting about his idiotic devices and how he had managed to save all their hides, yet again. He was also rather lascivious and charmed any one in the room who was female gendered.</p><p>Thor’s mortal had been put on bar tending duty and Tony Stark was not restraining himself from flirting with her. Loki huffed, this mortal didn’t value his life if he thought he could charm Thor’s mortal without Thor beating him up into a pulp. Loki directed his gaze at Thor wondering whether Thor had not noticed, he had. Loki expected Thor to rise from his rather relaxed posture on the couch and come with his fists drawn but wonder of all wonders Thor remained where he was. With the exception of a displeased frown directed at Stark, Thor did nothing and remained seated.</p><p>Loki looked back at Jane and Tony Stark, Thor’s mortal didn’t seem averse to the flirting, she was laughing and enjoying the Iron Man’s attentions. Loki hummed, suddenly his mind alighted on an idea and Loki snapped his gaze back to the Iron Man and Jane Foster.</p><p>He knew what he had to do.</p><p>XXX</p><p>Loki made a study of both Jane and Stark’s habits for an entire fortnight before he saw an opportunity to put his plan into action.</p><p>Love spells were the easiest of magic, right next to illusion and scrying, mages were thought the most simple love spells within the first two years of training. There were more dangerous and dark love spells that basically enslaved someone to their will but to learn these a mage required unimpeded access to dark magic.</p><p>For his purpose, Loki did not need too advanced a spell, he just needed Thor to find Jane and Stark in a compromising position. It would simultaneously break Thor’s heart as well as make him the raging, thundering, berserker that he was. Thor would be consumed with anger as black as the ninth pit of Helheim, he would turn away from all that he had learnt and become on Midgard and in doing so become unworthy of Mjolnir once again.</p><p>Loki smirked as he spelt Jane first, she had a rather strong mind for a mortal and it gave him pause as he struggled initially to implant the thought into her mind. Once again he felt a grudging respect for the mortal as he whispered into her mind to find Tony Stark.</p><p>Stark’s mind on the other hand was extremely receptive to suggestion, Loki did not even feel a hint of a barrier or a push back as he bespelled Stark, his mind seemed to revel in the idea of mating with any female in his vicinity and Jane Foster was no exception.</p><p>His work done, Loki stepped back to observe his handiwork. He had made sure to make Tony Stark come to Jane and Thor’s space in the Avengers’ abode as he knew Thor would be returning back from his bout of training with the Captain soon.</p><p>He waited and panicked when Thor didn’t turn up as he had expected, he reinforced the spell more in Stark and Jane’s mind as he went down the stairs and into the basement where Thor was still fighting Captain Rogers. He hissed, why couldn’t the brute behave as he was expected to behave for once? Loki knew he could not break into Thor’s mind and whisper the suggestion to him, Thor no matter how mortal he looked now was an Asgardian God, he would know immediately if Loki attempted to penetrate his mind, which left only the Captain.</p><p>Loki probed the Captain’s mind, trying to find a vulnerable point to slip into and murmur the slightest hint of a suggestion for Thor to go back to his chambers. However, Loki was stunned when he was met with stiff resistance, the Captain literally strong armed him out of his mind, slamming his walls shut and making Loki gasp as he pushed him out forcefully.</p><p>Loki’s attempt did not go unnoticed either as the Captain rubbed his temples in annoyance and looked around. Loki  froze on his spot and tried to blend into the walls but he had a feeling that even if the Captain did not see him, he felt his presence.</p><p>“What’s the matter Captain? Tired already?” Thor asked with a smug expression on his face.</p><p>The Captain did not take the bait and responded, “Yes actually, can I take a raincheck on this?”</p><p>Thor nodded looking a little deflated and then finally made to move out of the basement and up to his chambers.</p><p>Loki breathed out a sigh of relief before he hurried back up the stairs behind Thor. Thor almost stumbled onto Loki as he came upon Jane and Stark in his living room, entirely naked, moaning loudly in ecstasy, limbs tangled together in a passionate embrace.</p><p>Thor let out a pained sound, the likes of which Loki had never heard him emit before, the whimper echoed loudly in the room as Jane and Stark finally noticed Thor’s presence in the room.</p><p>Loki released the spell and let the chips fall where they may, he removed himself from Thor’s vicinity and chose to observe from far as tears rolled down Thor’s cheeks.</p><p>Jane finally realized where she was and what she was doing and who she was doing it with. She pushed away from Stark with a shocked gasp, covering her mouth with her hands and looking absolutely horrified.</p><p>Stark was in no better state, his mind seemed to take some time to sort through the muddled cloud of confusion before he too got his bearings. He looked at Thor and then at Jane and then at his own nudity and loudly swore, “What the fuck!”</p><p>Loki knew this was sure to break Thor’s heart but still it was a shock to him to see how utterly shattered Thor looked now. Thor was breathing hard, his eyes red and tearing as he blinked again and again in an effort to dispel the tears, his hands were clenched into fists as he struggled to control his anger which was quickly replacing the immense pain and hurt he felt from witnessing Jane’s betrayal.</p><p>Jane finally shook herself out of her stupor and deigned to look at Thor, she visibly drew back as her eyes started to fill with tears too, “Thor….I don’t know how this happened, I don’t….”</p><p>Thor’s face was twisted into an expression of agony, his mouth opened and then closed, finally after what seemed eons to Loki he finally spoke, “Why?”</p><p>Thor whispered brokenly and Jane sobbed as she hid her face in her arms and shook her head frantically.</p><p>“Thor….I don’t think either of us were in our right minds….buddy…you know me, I wouldn’t do this, not under normal circumstances.”</p><p>“I know exactly who you are Stark and I know exactly what you are capable of” Thor said coldly ”But Jane…..” Thor turned back to his mortal again, she was still hiding her face into her knees which were drawn up to her chest, she lifted her head up and met Thor’s eyes.</p><p>“I don’t know how this happened Thor….I don’t know….I don’t know….you have to believe me!”</p><p>Thor’s eyes shuttered, Loki saw him visibly reigning his emotions back in control as he drew up to his full height, “I’ve been such a fool” he said in a toneless voice before he turned away from the both of them and walked out.</p><p>XXX</p><p>The fallout as Loki had predicted was spectacular.</p><p>Thor denounced all his Avenger shield brothers, he took himself out of Jane’s place, hitching a ride on a truck he moved as far away from the Avengers and SHIELD as possible, he cut open his hands and tossed away the tracker device that SHIELD had put in him, at long last he ventured into the thickest woods he could find and let loose his rage, destroying everything in sight. Without his powers, he was left with just his hands and foot to inflict as much damage as possible.</p><p>Thor upended trees from their roots, caught wild game with just his bare hands and crudely fashioned weapons, his blood lust made him a cunning and ruthless predator as he tracked and hunted the wild animals, sometimes for food but most times for just the fun of it.</p><p>Loki felt himself feeling almost scared of this version of Thor, he had expected Thor to go overboard in his anger but he’d never thought Thor could exhibit such dark and cruel instincts. Loki had gone on hunting trips with Thor and his band of friends plenty of times, in all those times Loki had never seen Thor enjoying another living being’s pain, Thor usually killed his game swiftly and efficiently but now he relished in prolonging the suffering, he tormented, cutting away piece by piece of flesh until he finally brought his knife to the jugular and allowed the animal to rest in peace.</p><p>Thor’s eyes which were constantly red rimmed in the first few days became almost complete onyx in color as he became wilder and wilder each day. If Loki didn’t know better, he would almost think that Thor was turning into a berserker.</p><p>XXX</p><p>As always, the Norn’s never made life easy for Loki.</p><p>He had gone back to Asgard to try to find a way past the constant scrutiny on his person and escape Asgard using one of the gateways on the realm eternal, scrying for Thor was almost a cautionary habit than anything else at this point, the last time Loki had seen Thor through his scrying bowl Thor was roaring back at a ferocious Midgardian beast as if he were an animal himself, an apex predator among all predators, come to teach the puny creatures of Midgard what it meant to pit themselves against a God.</p><p>Loki felt reassured that there was no way Thor was becoming worthy of his hammer any time soon. He just had to find a way out of Asgard before the All-father inconvenienced him by waking the fuck up.</p><p>Which is why when he scryed after nearly a week of letting himself get lulled into a false sense of security, he was stunned to see Thor with the Avenger’s again, eyes blue and looking far too rational and sane for Loki’s peace of mind. From the bits and pieces he could gather from what he witnessed, Thor’s mortal had unwittingly tried to go after him and find him, in the process she had been caught by an ancient witch of Midgard who had informed the Avengers that she would release Jane only if the God of Thunder himself came to her, Tony Stark of all people had shaken Thor out of his bloodlust and now Thor was fighting the witches re-animated minions alongside the Avengers in an effort to get to Jane.</p><p>Loki watched from his place on Asgard, his heart hammering in his chest, perhaps this would not be a disaster, surely Thor couldn’t become worthy again just because he had come to his senses after inflicting such cruelty willfully on Midgard’’s creatures.</p><p>XXX</p><p>Thor’s was acutely attuned to his battle instincts as he fought the golems of Agatha Harkness, his weeks of living amidst the bushes, hunting and tracking game served him well as he fought almost with his eyes shut.</p><p>His body recognized every sound, every movement, he brought down more of Agatha’s animated corpses than all the Avenger’s combined.</p><p>His singular purpose made him sharp and ruthless as he sliced a pathway through the golems, finally coming to a place where Jane was tied to what appeared to be a crucifix.</p><p>He moved but suddenly the witch materialized out of thin air, he found himself unable to move further, the witch laughed, her manic cackling filled the entire room as Thor found himself separated from his companions, she’d cordoned him and Jane off from the rest of the fight, Thor looked around the room, at the runes that were carved into the stone columns, the witch had absolute power over them both and Thor suddenly realized what he had walked into.</p><p>Jane was looking at him, her eyes filled with tears, she looked terrified but resigned.</p><p>“Whatever you want of me witch, I shall grant it to you, let the mortal go, you wanted me and I am here now.”</p><p>The witch scoffed in derision, “You’re here but what value can you be to me when you don’t have that Godforsaken hammer?”</p><p>“What do you want?” Thor repeated again as he surveyed his surroundings for a possible exit.</p><p>“What do you think? I’ve lived here for six centuries now and in no time was there an artifact as powerful as that hammer left on the Earth.”</p><p>Agatha swam forward, suspended in mid-air she pointed a heavily manicured finger at Thor, “And I want you to retrieve it.”</p><p>Thor swallowed his nerves as his eyes failed to discern a way out of the cold cavern, he struggled against the invisible bindings that held him in place like an insect waiting to be crushed beneath the witch’s boots.</p><p>“I can’t” he finally shouted when Agatha turned her eyes back to Jane, “I was disgraced and cast out of Asgard by Odin, I can no longer lift the hammer.”</p><p>Agatha tutted, her black-eyed stare was rife with malice as she looked at Jane once again, she turned back to Thor and intoned “Perhaps all you need is a little motivation Godling” she waved her hands and Thor finally felt himself able to move.</p><p>Before he could get his bearings, the witch had gathered all her power about her talon like hands, her purple aura surrounded her as the stench of dark magic reached Thor’s nostrils, she was directing the energy straight at Jane.</p><p>And at that moment Thor knew, he knew in his heart that if he didn’t do anything Jane was going to die, here and now. And in that same moment, Thor knew that his mortal form would not be able to withstand the onslaught of such dark magic.</p><p>“NO!” he screamed as he threw himself in front of Jane absorbing the full blast of the witch’s dark magic. He felt like a thousand knives had been plunged into his heart as he faltered and fell to the ground. He sighed as his eyes glassed over, he heard Jane’s horrified scream, the sound like it came from far away as Thor drifted somewhere between life and death. Suddenly, the agony stopped and he felt a welcoming darkness enclose him as his heart stilled and his vision swam with a light brighter than the sun.</p><p>XXX</p><p>Loki drew back from the scrying bowl, the fool! He’d actually gone and sacrificed himself for that pathetic mortal!</p><p>The utter, utter fool!</p><p>Loki felt a crushing sensation in his chest, he felt like someone had put a vice around his heart and squeezed as he struggled to catch his breath.</p><p>Thor was dead.</p><p>Thor was dead.</p><p>The brash, arrogant and conceited God of Thunder had forfeited his life willingly for the sake of a mortal.</p><p>Tears welled in his eyes as he clutched his chest and tried to calm himself, he told himself that this was good, that this was what he had wanted all along, that this was nothing more than what Thor rightly deserved.</p><p>Just when he had reigned his tempestuous feelings under control, he felt himself being systematically cut-off from his seidr, the threads that he had painstakingly cut away with months and months of effort now wove back together seamlessly and Loki’s eyes widened in panic as he realized what this meant, the All-father was close to waking from the Odinsleep.</p><p>With the last reserves of seidr that remained accessible to him Loki looked back into the scrying bowl, the image of the dead God of Thunder seared his eyes.</p><p>Inexplicably he prayed to the Norns, this couldn’t be the end of Thor.</p><p>Minutes passed, Loki felt every minute like the passing of an hour.</p><p>And then, as if in answer to his prayers, Loki saw the blinding thunder and lightning engulf Thor’s prone frame, the power formed a vortex around Thor, gathering speed and at the center of the vortex was Mjolnir, raised and held aloft in Thor’s hands.</p><p>Loki felt an overwhelming sense of joy for a millisecond before the feeling was replaced with complete panic.</p><p>He had to get out of Asgard, now.</p><p>But with no seidr and no way to slip past his watchers on Asgard, Loki had next to no choices. All he knew was that the All-father hadn’t yet awoken from his sleep. If he had any hope of escaping this realm, he needed a powerful weapon and none in Asgard was more powerful than Gungir. He could not go back to Jotunheim, he could not. He’d rather die here on Asgard than return back to Jotunheim to live as less than an animal among the frost giants.</p><p>XXX</p><p>Thor had only a moment to enjoy his victory against the witch, he freed Jane from her binds and Jane quickly drew him into a tight embrace.</p><p>Thor returned the embrace, he had not yet forgiven her for her transgressions, he doubted he ever would but for now he was glad she was alive and well.</p><p>“I’m sorry Thor….I’m so sorry!”</p><p>Thor gently released her from his embrace, she looked at him with such a despaired countenance that he could not help but soften. But he was not yet ready to put his heart on the line with her again. Her betrayal had crushed him in a way that nothing else in his life had, even the pain of Odin banishing him to Midgard, even the pain of the Mjolnir rejecting him paled in comparison to what he felt when he saw her with Stark.</p><p>Before long, his shield brothers came charging in and on seeing Thor with the hammer and armor they visibly hesitated before approaching him.</p><p>Stark in particular hung back, he looked weary of Thor and for good reason. The Captain had no such qualms and gave a friendly thump onto Thor’s armored chest.</p><p>“So this is how God’s look when they’re on duty eh?”</p><p>“I suppose so” Thor returned, it felt incredibly good to have Mjolnir back in his hands, he finally felt whole after months of feeling incomplete.</p><p>The Captain was smiling, slightly in awe of how Thor looked now, Thor always loomed over all the Avengers but right now there was a sense of unquestionable power and authority around him. It radiated from him and made everyone around him realize how he was leagues above them. For the first time, the mortals in the room felt <em>mortal</em>.</p><p>“Thor! There you are!”</p><p>Thor whirled around and was immediately assaulted with an armful of Sif as she latched onto him and screamed her joy at having found him.</p><p>The Warriors three were not far behind her and they too reveled on seeing Thor, they clapped his back and jubilated while Hogun offered a curt but pleased “It’s good to see you Thor.”</p><p>Once they had expressed their joy at seeing him unharmed and in possession of Mjolnir, Sif’s expression turned to one of urgency as she said “Thor, you have to come back to Asgard, Loki has stolen Gungir.”</p><p>“Yes, your mother sent us here to get you at all costs, she fears Loki would use Gungir to unleash the power of the Bifrost on Jotunheim, no one can hope to stop him with Gungir at his side other than you” Volstagg spoke in a rare tone of solemnity and Thor understood the seriousness of the situation.</p><p>Thor turned back to his mortal comrades, “I have to go.”</p><p>The Captain nodded, Natasha and Clint saluted him and Stark looked at anywhere but at him, Thor knew Banner was probably out cold somewhere after transforming back into himself.</p><p>Jane let out a pained whimper as she asked in a timid voice “Will you be coming back?”</p><p>Thor looked at her, the remorse was plain for everyone to see but he still couldn’t bring himself to forgive her, whatever her reasons were, he could not think of them now. He had a duty to Asgard, a duty to protect the Nine realms and right now Loki could very well be laying waste to one of them.</p><p>“I don’t know….once everything is back in order on Asgard, perhaps.”</p><p>She nodded, resolve hardening her stance as she visibly steeled herself, “I guess this is goodbye then.”</p><p>“For now….yes.”</p><p>“Thor”</p><p>Sif’s voice pushed him to move again, with his hammer raised above he summoned Heimdall, he hoped he was not too late to stop Loki.</p><p>If the Bifrost was already in Loki’s control then Thor could not hope to stop him stuck as he was on Midgard.</p><p>Thankfully, Heimdall heeded his call and he found himself being transported through the Bifrost after a long time. His mind was troubled but as the stars rushed past his visage, he felt himself feeling a profound sense of belonging, he was going home, he had almost died today, he had gotten Mjolnir back, he was finally going home.</p><p>XXX</p><p>When Thor found himself back inside the spokes and wheels of the golden observatory of Asgard, he found Heimdall prone on the ground.</p><p>Loki stood above him, Gungir held at his side, waiting and ready for him.</p><p>Thor gripped Mjolnir tightly as he commanded his friends to take Heimdall away to the healing chambers.</p><p>Sif and the warriors three protested but Thor silenced them and sent them on their way, he did not want them losing their lives by being caught in the crossfire. Gungir was a mighty weapon, neither of them had anything with which to fight against its power.</p><p>Once they were completely alone, Thor met Loki’s eyes betraying no emotion on his face.</p><p>“Loki, whatever you intend to do, give it up and I may yet spare your life.”</p><p>Loki huffed, “It’s not even been an hour since you set foot back on Asgard and yet you presume you can command me? You presume you have the right to decide whether or not I live?”</p><p>“You’ve committed treason against Asgard, you stole the Kings weapon when he was vulnerable and unable to defend himself. The only way you are getting out of this with your head attached to your shoulders is if you hand Gungir over to me, now!”</p><p>Thor extended his hand, hoping for once that Loki would see sense and do what was good for him.</p><p>“And then what? You would oh so benevolently spare my life? Because that’s the best a creature like me could hope for isn’t it?”</p><p>“It’s more than what you deserve Loki.”</p><p>“Of course, I never deserved anything good in your eyes, did I Odinson? I was just a monstrosity that the fates had seen to thrust upon you, you who could have bedded and wedded anyone in the nine realms forced to put up with a lesser creature than you, a Jotun abomination.”</p><p>Thor adjusted his grip on Mjolnir’s handle, if he could not talk sense into Loki, he’d have to take this confrontation in another direction.</p><p>Loki was swifter however, and before Thor could raise Mjolnir and deliver a blow Loki twisted Gungir into his arms and blasted a pure bolt of energy straight at Thor that knocked Thor off his feet and had him landing hard on the glimmering floor of the observatory.</p><p>“I never wanted to be your wife! I was as trapped as you were!”</p><p>Thor rose to his feet and found a ravenous and mad Loki waiting for him, Loki screamed and attacked him again but this time Thor was ready.</p><p>He swung Mjolnir down and blocked Loki’s blow, Loki seemed to be egged on by Thor’s restraint and came at Thor all that harder. Loki made entirely and viciously offensive strikes as Thor took a more defensive position, trying and failing to wrestle Gungir out of Loki’s grip.</p><p>“Loki stop this! I don’t want to hurt you!”</p><p>“Again with the lies Odinson, all you’ve ever wanted to do was hurt me! All you’ve all wanted to do was hurt me! You, Odin, Laufey!”</p><p>“Your father used me as a pawn to broker a farce of a peace treaty with Laufey! And you! You treated me like less than vermin, you would have had me killed, you cast me aside for a mere mortal!”</p><p>“YOU DENOUNCED ME FIRST!”</p><p>Thor was finally able to get Loki into a chokehold, he still held Gungir tightly but Thor pried his fingers one by one as Loki hurled more abuse at him.</p><p>“My only choices were to chose whether to be violated and enslaved by you or whether to be violated and enslaved by my father’s warriors. And you think in all your arrogance and entitlement that you had it bad! You who had everything in the world handed to him from birth!”</p><p>“Odin handed nothing to me freely Loki, I had to fight for every scrap of recognition from him and you would know that if you had ever bothered to know me at all.”</p><p>Suddenly, Loki kicked out with his legs, taking Thor down with him to the floor, he wasted no time to jump up and launch himself at Thor once again.</p><p>Thor deflected his blow and finally gave back as good as he got, in two strikes he was able to outwit Loki, Gungir was firmly stuck in the floor and Loki running out of options swung around the pole and kicked Thor in his chest.</p><p>Thor fell a distance away feeling winded, before he could rise up again Loki blasted him out of the observatory with Gungir’s power, Thor was hurled onto the Bifrost bridge and remained lying there for a minute feeling like he’d been run over by a herd of male bilgesnipe.</p><p>That was all the time Loki needed to open the Bifrost with Gungir and direct the insurmountable energy on Jotunheim. Within minutes, ice began to cover the entire observatory as Thor walked back in with his hammer clenched tightly in his fist.</p><p>“Loki, no….Jotunheim is your home! Stop this!”</p><p>Loki laughed, manic and delirious, “That rotten frost-bitten wasteland is no more a home to me than the gaudy halls of your precious Asgard.”</p><p>“Your anger cannot be so great that you would want to kill an entire race Loki!”</p><p>“What a hypocrite you are Odinson, it was not so long ago that you would have waged war on Jotunheim and killed every last Jotun with your bare hands. All in response to a small infraction to your misplaced sense of pride!”</p><p>“I have changed Loki.”</p><p>“Well so have I Odinson, the Bifrost will continue to build until it rips Jotunheim apart, Asgard will forever be known as the realm that destroyed Jotunheim, how quickly do you think the other realms will band together to eliminate the All powerful All-father and his reckless son?”</p><p>“ENOUGH LOKI! You’ve destroyed enough! I will not let you do this.”</p><p>Loki cackled once again, “Haven’t you been listening Odinson? There’s nothing you can do to stop this, not now. You can kill me but the Bifrost will destroy Jotunheim and with it I would have sown the seeds of Asgard’s destruction.”</p><p>Thor did not know the inner workings of Gungir or the Bifrost sword, his only hope to save Jotunheim from complete destruction was to implore Loki to stop, Thor spoke in a resolute manner at Loki who stood close to the center of the observatory, his breath misting in front of him “Whatever I have done to you, whatever my father has done, whatever Laufey has done, an entire planet of people, an entire realm does not deserve to be extinguished from Yggdrassil Loki. I know you know this, I know you have the capacity for goodness in you…..I beg you… find that goodness in you and stop this madness Loki. I swear to you that I will do everything in my power to protect you from Jotunheim and Asgard’s wrath.”</p><p>“And why should I believe you? Wasn’t it just a minute ago that you said sparing my life was more than I deserved?”</p><p>The observatory was spinning at an impossibly fast pace now, Thor knew he had to do something, otherwise Jotunheim would be lost forever and it would all be due to his own inability to act. He may not be able to shut off Gungir’s power that was feeding into the Bifrost but he knew one thing that he could still do to stop the Bifrost from building, cut its heart.</p><p>He spun Mjolnir in an arc, drew lightning from the heavens and smote Loki where he stood, Loki was hurled across the observatory and landed on the far edge. Thor approached him cautiously and found Loki groaning and attempting to move but unable to. He grabbed the trickster’s neck with one hand and lifted him, he threw Loki down on the multicolored bridge of the Bifrost before he brought Mjolnir down with all his might atop the bridge.</p><p>The Bifrost was ancient and infused with the magic of the Gods of Asgard, it took Thor three blows to crack its surface.</p><p>“What? What are you doing?”</p><p>Thor paid no heed to Loki as he continued pounding at the bridge, he felt the bridge give a little finally and he knew it wouldn’t be long before the bridge collapsed now.</p><p>“If you destroy the bridge you’ll never be able to see your precious mortal lover again!”</p><p>Thor grunted with strain as he brought down the hammer with particularly brutal force, he didn’t want to contemplate how Loki knew about Jane and what had happened to him on Earth.</p><p>Finally, Thor summoned his powers again and rose high in the air before bringing Mjolnir down on to the bridge one last time.</p><p>The bridge broke, he felt himself being thrown back from the blast and scrambled for purchase, if he fell into the void, he would be lost forever. He felt himself falling anyway as his hands closed on empty vacuum.</p><p>Something was holding him from falling, his hands were holding onto Gungir but his position was all wrong for him to have held on to something sturdy enough to not get thrown into the void. He looked back and saw his father holding onto his leg tightly, he breathed a sigh of relief.</p><p>It was only then that he felt the weight on his arm, he looked down at Loki who was holding on to Gungir with one hand. The void below him felt ominous and dark as it enclosed his slight frame, Loki’s vivid green eyes were filled with tears, the knowledge of his defeat evident in them.</p><p>Thor instantly knew that look of despair and resignation did not bode well for Loki, he shook his head as his mind repeated, ‘No, no, no’, he had to act fast.</p><p>“Loki, give me your hand”</p><p>Thor extended his other hand as best as he was able to, his muscles strained with the effort of stretching himself so unnaturally but he looked into Loki’s eyes and wanted to snatch him up and out of the surrounding darkness, forcibly if need be. He could hear the cogs turning in Loki’s fractured and tortured mind and he knew what Loki was going to do.</p><p>“All I ever wanted was to be free, if I die now, at least I die a free man.”</p><p>“No! No! Loki, please, NO!”</p><p>Loki let go and Thor’s screamed as he watched Loki becoming smaller and smaller until the void enclosed him completely, until Loki was lost to him and everyone who had wronged him for good.</p><p>Thor felt his eyes fill with tears for he knew he had played his own part in pushing Loki to such an extreme action, to feel that dying was better than the prospect of a life in Asgard with him. Guilt pricked his conscience and grief struck his heart, Loki was gone, Loki was dead.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Did you love it? Did you hate it? Please let me know in the comments below! </p><p>I will be back with Loki and Thor in the Avengers next!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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